The women’s national football team will enter the 14th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026), scheduled from July 25 to August 16, with ambitions of crossing a new threshold after making history by reaching the quarterfinals during the previous tournament. Placed in Group A, the Algerian squad will face host nation Morocco, Senegal, and Kenya, targeting a top-two finish to secure passage to the knockout stage. In their seventh appearance at the continental finals, players under head coach Farid Benstiti aim to build upon the progress shown in recent years. During WAFCON 2025, they delivered their finest performance by reaching the quarterfinals before dropping a penalty shootout to Ghana (0-0, 2-4 on penalties), a campaign that marked a turning point in Algerian women’s football history. With just a day remaining before kickoff, Benstiti expresses high hopes while emphasizing team cohesion.
“Our goal is to outperform our previous campaign. I lead a team that is constantly improving. Younger talents are joining and developing, while others will arrive later. In football, it is not merely about pleasing the top individuals. In a tournament like WAFCON, the World Cup, or the Champions League, the collective wins, never individuals. I prefer having deserving players who will represent our nation well.” The head coach is expected to rely on a mix of seasoned leaders and rising young talents, aiming to compete against the continent’s top sides. “The objective at WAFCON is to advance as far as possible, perhaps even lift the trophy. We possess the quality and resources to achieve it,” he noted.
Buoyed by a convincing victory over Cameroon in qualification, the Algerian women’s football team enters the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations eager to confirm its recent growth and establish itself as a dark horse in the continental showcase. Under Benstiti’s guidance, the “Greens” harbor ambitions to push beyond the quarterfinal stage, reached for the first time in 2024, and disrupt the established hierarchy of African women’s football. Algeria secured its berth for the 2026 finals with an undefeated qualification run. The Algerians first dominated South Sudan in the opening round, earning a 5-0 away win before sealing a 3-0 victory in the return fixture. In the final qualifying round, teammates of Ines Boutaleb produced one of the most remarkable displays in their history by eliminating Cameroon, a traditional powerhouse of African women’s football. Winning 2-1 in Oran during the first leg, they followed up with a 1-0 away victory in Douala to claim qualification with a 3-1 aggregate scoreline. This achievement marks a second consecutive qualification for the WAFCON finals, illustrating the steady rise of Algerian women’s football on the continental stage. On the bench, Algeria relies on the expertise of Farid Benstiti, a renowned manager in women’s international football with past stints at major European clubs including Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint-Germain. Since taking charge of the national team, the Algerian strategist has built a disciplined system anchored in defensive solidity and collective mastery, while gradually integrating new players alongside an experienced core. In midfield, Ines Boutaleb stands out as a key figure in the Algerian setup. With her vision, technical quality, and top-tier experience, she represents one of Algeria’s main assets on the big stage. Algeria’s history at the Women’s AFCON dates back to 2004, with further appearances in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2024. Long eliminated in the group phase, the national team achieved a historic breakthrough during the last tournament by reaching the quarterfinals. The victory over Cameroon in 2026 qualification strengthened Algerian ambitions and confirmed the national program’s new stature. Featuring a squad that blends youth and experience, stable technical leadership, and boosted confidence from recent results, Algeria hopes to continue its rise and firmly establish itself among the continent’s elite at the upcoming 2026 Women’s AFCON.
In other groups, Nigeria, the most decorated team in tournament history with 10 titles, will once again start as favorites. Ghana and South Africa, third and fourth respectively in the previous edition, will also contend for the trophy. This edition will feature 16 countries for the first time in tournament history, divided into four groups of four. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals. The four semifinalists will earn direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup, whose final phase will take place in Brazil. However, action will not end there for teams eliminated in the quarterfinals, as they will compete in a series of playoff matches to determine the two African representatives for the intercontinental World Cup qualifiers.