Morocco Ready To Host Wafcon 'any Time' As Questions Remain Over Postponement

At nan commencement of February, South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie was forced to explain remarks from his lawman that South Africa was group to measurement successful arsenic Wafcon hosts, adding further substance to talk of a imaginable move from Morocco.

McKenzie went connected to opportunity that "South Africa has expressed its willingness to support Caf if required, should replacement hosting arrangements for nan 2026 Wafcon go necessary".

In response, Caf president Patrice Motsepe said "many" different nations were willing successful hosting Wafcon but could not because they wanted to change nan dates of nan tournament.

Motsepe went connected to insist "we can't alteration nan dates" - a remark which has aged poorly, particularly arsenic this is not nan first clip Wafcon has been shunted astir Africa's footballing calendar, starring to accusations that women's shot is not seen arsenic a priority.

While nan men's Afcon was simply delayed by nan coronavirus pandemic, Wafcon 2020 was cancelled entirely. The 2024 version was yet played past July, having been postponed for a year.

This clip around, pinch only 12 days' announcement given, teams were successful nan last stages of their preparations. Ghana's players, for example, were already successful a training campy successful nan UAE.

"It conscionable wouldn't hap for different tournaments successful women's shot – and particularly successful men's football," Ashleigh Plumptre told Sportsworld connected nan BBC World Service.

The Nigeria defender, who was portion of nan Super Falcons broadside who secured a record-breaking 10th title past July, says nan truth that nan 2026 tourney – the first to characteristic 16 teams – will double up arsenic qualifying for adjacent year's Fifa Women's World Cup successful Brazil makes nan precocious postponement much distressing.

"Many teams haven't moreover been successful nan Afcon before, ne'er mind had nan chance to suffice for a World Cup. It besides helps them financially," Plumptre added.

"All I tin do, and I've almost astir apt been forced to beryllium put successful this position, is conscionable return time by time and hole myself successful nan champion measurement that I tin because there's truthful galore things I've had to get accustomed to, and galore different players successful African football, wherever you benignant of conscionable person to spell pinch it, because you person nary different choice."