The 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (, ), (also referred to as WAFCON 2022) officially known as the 2022 TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship purposes, was the 14th edition of the biennial African international women's football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), hosted by Morocco from 2 to 23 July 2022.
The tournament also doubled as the African qualifiers for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The top four teams qualified for the World Cup, and two more teams advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.
Nigeria were the three-time defending champions, having won the previous 3 editions in 2014, 2016 and 2018; but had its journey ended in the semi-finals after losing to the hosts Morocco on penalties, making it the first time that neither Nigeria nor Equatorial Guinea featured in the final. The hosts went on to lose in the final to South Africa, which claimed its first ever continental trophy after five previous attempts. With this triumph, South Africa joined Nigeria as the only countries to have won both the men's and women's competition.
This was the first edition to feature 12 teams as the 2020 edition, which would have been the first, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. The Morocco vs Nigeria semi-final broke the WAFCON attendance records with 45,562 spectators.
Host selection Morocco were announced as hosts on 15 January 2021. This is the first time a North African Arab country has hosted the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
Mascot The mascot for this edition of the tournament was unveiled as "TITRIT" (a Moroccan Berber name meaning "star" or "celebrity"), a young lioness clothed with the home jersey of the host nation's national football team, with a traditional Moroccan tiara.
Qualification
Morocco qualified automatically as hosts, while the remaining eleven spots were determined by the qualifying rounds.
Qualified teams
Team Finals appearance Last appearance Date of qualification Previous best performance Previous World Cupappearances FIFA ranking at start of event (hosts) 3rd 2000 15 January 2021 (1998, 2000)0 77 2nd 2000 28 January 2022 (2000) 0156 1st — 21 February 2022 0 169 4th 2018 22 February 2022 (1995) 0103 2nd 2012 22 February 2022 (2012) 0 89 1st — 23 February 2022 0118 14th 2018 23 February 2022 (1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018) 8 39 2nd 2008 23 February 2022 (2008) 072 1st — 23 February 2022 0 138 1st — 23 February 2022 0152 13th 2018 23 February 2022 (1991, 2004, 2014, 2016) 254 13th 2018 23 February 2022 (1995, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018) 1 58
Venues The tournament was held in Casablanca and Rabat.
MoroccoRabatCasablancaPrince Moulay Abdellah StadiumStade Moulay HassanStade Mohammed VCapacity: 50,000Capacity: 12,000Capacity: 45,891
Squads
Match officials A total of 16 referees, 16 assistant referees and 8 VAR referees were appointed for the tournament.
Originally, Fatima El Ajjani (Morocco) was assigned as video assistant referee only. However, she was assigned as principal referee during the tournament after Aïssata Boudy Lam (Mauritania) sustained an injury.
Referees
Suavis Iratunga Zomadre Kore Shahenda El Maghrabi Letticia Viana Lidya Tafesse Maria Rivet Aïssata Boudy Lam Fatima El Ajjani Bouchra Karboubi Antsino Twanyanyukwa Patience Ndidi Salima Mukansanga Mame Faye Akhona Makalima Vincentia Amedome Dorsaf Ganouati Shamirah Nabadda
Assistant referees
Asma Ouahab Nafissatou Yekini Carine Atezambong Kanjinga Mujanayi Yara Abdelfattah Mona Atallah Lidwine Rakotozafinoro Bernadettar Kwimbira Fanta Kone Queency Victoire Mariem Chedad Soukaina Hamdi Fatiha Jermoumi Mimisen Iyorhe Afine Houda Diana Chikotesha
Video assistant referees
Lahlou Benbraham Ahmed El-Ghandour Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmad Heerallal Zakaria Brindisi Samir Guezzaz Haythem Guirat
Draw
The final draw was held in Rabat, Morocco on 29 April 2022 at 20:30 GMT (UTC±0). The twelve teams were drawn into three groups of four teams, with the hosts Morocco, reigning champions Nigeria, and next-highest-ranked Cameroon assigned to positions A1, C1, and B1, respectively.
SeedsPot 1 (A1) (B1) (C1)
Group stage
CAF released the official match schedule for the tournament on 29 April 2022. The top two teams of each group, along with the best two third-placed teams, advanced to the quarter-finals.
Tiebreakers Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss).
If two teams were tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Article 74):
Points in head-to-head matches match between the two tied teams; Goal difference in all group matches; Goals scored in all group matches; Drawing of lots. If more than two teams were tied, the following criteria were applied instead: Points in matches between the tied teams; Goal difference in matches between the tied teams; Goals scored in matches between the tied teams; If after applying all criteria above, two teams were still tied, the above criteria were again applied to matches played between the two teams in question. If this did not resolve the tie, the next three criteria were applied; Goal difference in all group matches; Goals scored in all group matches; Drawing of lots.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Ranking of third-placed teams
Knockout stage
Bracket
Quarter-finals The winners qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The losers entered a repechage round.
Repechage The winners advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.
Semi-finals
Third place play-off
Final
Goalscorers
Awards The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:
AwardWinnerBest player Ghizlane ChebbakBest goalkeeper Andile DlaminiTop scorer Ghizlane Chebbak Rasheedat Ajibade Hildah MagaiaFair Play
+Best XIGoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards Andile Dlamini
Qualified teams for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
The following teams represented Africa directly at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Team Qualified onPrevious appearances in FIFA Women's World Cup1 0 (debut) 0 (debut) 8 (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019) 1 (2019) 1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.
Notes
References
External links