WAFCON: From Issa Hayatou To Patrice Motsepe, The Journey So Far

By Harry Awurumibe                                                                                                                                                                      Two years short of three decades of the birth of Africa Women Championship (AWC) now Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in 1998 in Nigeria, the biggest women’s football tournament in the continent has continued to grow in leaps and bounds.

This is even as the recent significant increase in the Prize Money of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations from One Million United States Dollars (USD) ($1 m) to Two Million USD ($2 m) announced on Wednesday by the President of Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr. Patrice Motsepe, during a World Press Conference in South Africa, is a welcome development by all football stakeholders within and outside Africa.

By implications, the Prize Money of the Winner of the 16-team tournament holding in Morocco from Sunday, July 26 to Sunday, August 16, 2026, has been increased by 100%.

Also , the Total Prize Money for the winner of the 14th edition of WAFCON in Morocco has been increased from 67% from USD 3, 475 Million to USD 5.8 Million.

The Prize Money of the Runner-up has been increased by 50% to USD 750 000, and the Prize Money of the 3rd Position has been increased by 43%.

However, each of the 16 participating Women’s National Teams will receive USD 150,000 in participation funding, an increase of USD 25,000 (20%) from the USD 125,000 received in the previous edition.

It is gratifying to know that since the current CAF Leadership under the watch of the South African business mogul, Motsepe, assumed office, the Prize Money of WAFCON Winner has increased by 900% from USD 200,000 to USD 2 Million and the Total Prize Money has increased by 495% from USD 975,000 to USD 5.8 Million.

The number of African Women’s National Teams participating in the WAFCON has also increased from 7 to 16 as the 8th country that qualified for the maiden edition, Mozambique chickened out in 1998 at the last minute.

Recall that Mozambique, led by athletic star cum footballer Maria Mutola, now retired Mozambican female track and field athlete who specialised in the 800 metres running event, and a three-time World Champion in this event and a one-time Olympic Champion beat Lesotho 7-2 on aggregate to qualify for Nigeria 1998 first tournament but did not show up at last.

For this reason, the competition, which was hosted in two venues in Kaduna and Abeokuta, Ogun states from 17 to 31 October, featured Cameroon, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, South Africa and hosts Nigeria.

Group A had Nigeria, DR Congo, Egypt, and Morocco, while Group B comprised Cameroon, Ghana, and South Africa with Nigeria emerging champions as her women’s football team, Super Falcons lifted the CAF trophy donated by former Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Maryam Sani Abacha, after beating Ghana 2–0 in the final.

Both finalists qualified for the following year’s 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the United States. Nigeria reached the quarter-finals while Ghana crashed out in the group stage.

However, 28 years later, the continental biennial women’s football showpiece has continued to grow as it has increased from the field of seven to 16 with an increase of nine teams overall.

Although no Prize Money was at stake in the maiden edition in 1998, and subsequent editions, the Prize Money, which was introduced later during the regime of former CAF President Alhaji Issa Hayatou of Cameroon through the short era of Malagasy national Ahmad Ahmad has been growing geometrically.

ENTER DR. PATRICE MOTSEPE

The entry of the South African-born current CAF President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, into football administration nearly four years ago, has changed the face of African football, especially women’s football in the continent, where some cultural and religious beliefs conspired against the early development of women’s game.

The businessman-turned football administrator’s regime has introduced certain policies that
symbolises CAF’s dedication to empowerment, equality, and the growth of African women’s football locally and internationally.

One of the bold steps President Motsepe has taken since he took office is the expansion of the boundaries of women’s football by
implementing the blueprint of CAF he met on the ground, such as the introduction of CAF Women’s Champions League and increase in the Prize Money of the premier women’s football league WAFCON.

The South African can be credited to have been an advocate of good welfare for women’s footballers following the frequent increases in the Prize Money of WAFCON.

Above, Motsepe’s recent announcement of a significant increase in the Prize Money of the 2026 WAFCON trophy winner and indeed for the 16 teams in the expanded competition shows that he is committed to the growth of women’s football in Africa.

The announcement on Wednesday of the 100% increase in the Prize Money was the second time that CAF is raising the Prize Money within a year, coming just days before the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco, where 16 teams will compete in the expanded tournament for the first time in the competition’s history.

Last year, CAF increased the winners’ prize of $500,000 by 100 per cent, while the total Prize Fund rose by 45 per cent to $3.475m.

These financial windfalls for Nigeria’s Super Falcons and 15 other teams competing in the upcoming competition, which will serve as the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Brazil, will go a long way to benefit the players, coaches and backroom staff as well as the federations that will get administrative fees for preparing the teams.

In all, women’s football under the leadership of President Motsepe within a space of four years has taken a quantum leap from obscurity to visibility and also transforming the stakeholders, especially the players, coaches and support staff from beggarly lots to stupendous wealthy people through women’s football.

Nevertheless, these huge funds CAF is pumping into women’s football in the recent time would not have been possible without the aggressive marketing of CAF competitions, including the flagship women’s football tournament WAFCON by Mr. Luxolo September, CAF’s Communications Director, who has 16 years experience in International Sport – Commercial Rights, Media (Television Broadcast) Rights, Reputation Management, Communication and Operations.

With the cash incentives introduced by CAF, the best is yet to come for women’s football in Africa as WAFCON has come to stay.

Let the game start!

Harry Awurumibe is a pioneer women’s football journalist in Africa