2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations

2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations
  • كأس الأمم الإفريقية للسيدات 2022
  • Coupe d'Afrique des nations féminine 2022
Official logo
Tournament details
Host countryMorocco
Dates2–23 July
Teams12
Venue(s)3 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions South Africa (1st title)
Runners-up Morocco
Third place Zambia
Fourth place Nigeria
Tournament statistics
Matches played28
Goals scored63 (2.25 per match)
Top scorer(s)Morocco Ghizlane Chebbak
Nigeria Rasheedat Ajibade
South Africa Hildah Magaia
(3 goals each)
Best player(s)Morocco Ghizlane Chebbak
Best goalkeeperSouth Africa Andile Dlamini
Fair play award South Africa
2024

The 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Arabic: كأس الأمم الإفريقية للسيدات 2022, French: Coupe d'Afrique des nations féminine 2022), (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.[1][2]

The tournament also doubled as the African qualifiers to 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.[3]

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 for the first time neither Nigeria or Equatorial Guinea featured in the final. The hosts went on to lose to South Africa in the final, as South Africa 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.[4]

Host selection

[edit]

Morocco were announced as hosts on 15 January 2021.[2] This is the first time a North African Arab country has hosted the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

Mascot

[edit]

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.[5]

Qualification

[edit]

Morocco qualified automatically as hosts, while the remaining eleven spots were determined by the qualifying rounds.

Qualified teams

[edit]
  Qualified
  Did not qualify
  Did not enter or withdrew
  Not part of CAF
Team Finals appearance Last appearance Date of qualification Previous best performance Previous World Cup
appearances
FIFA ranking at start of event
 Morocco (hosts) 3rd 2000 15 January 2021 Group stage (1998, 2000) 0 77
 Uganda 2nd 2000 28 January 2022 Group stage (2000) 0 156
 Burundi 1st 21 February 2022 Debut 0 169
 Zambia 4th 2018 22 February 2022 Quarter finals (1995) 0 103
 Senegal 2nd 2012 22 February 2022 Group stage (2012) 0 89
 Togo 1st 23 February 2022 Debut 0 118
 Nigeria 14th 2018 23 February 2022 Champions (1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018) 8 39
 Tunisia 2nd 2008 23 February 2022 Group stage (2008) 0 72
 Burkina Faso 1st 23 February 2022 Debut 0 138
 Botswana 1st 23 February 2022 Debut 0 152
 Cameroon 13th 2018 23 February 2022 Runners-up (1991, 2004, 2014, 2016) 2 54
 South Africa 13th 2018 23 February 2022 Runners-up (1995, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018) 1 58

Venues

[edit]

The tournament was held in Casablanca and Rabat.

Morocco Rabat Casablanca
Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium Stade Moulay Hassan Stade Mohammed V
Capacity: 50,000 Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 45,891

Squads

[edit]

Match officials

[edit]

A total of 16 referees, 16 assistant referees and 8 VAR referees were appointed for the tournament.[6][7]

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
Assistant referees
  • Algeria Asma Ouahab
  • Benin Nafissatou Yekini
  • Cameroon Carine Atezambong
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo Kanjinga Mujanayi
  • Egypt Yara Abdelfattah
  • Egypt Mona Atallah
  • Madagascar Lidwine Rakotozafinoro
  • Malawi Bernadettar Kwimbira
  • Mali Fanta Kone
  • Mauritius Queency Victoire
  • Mauritania Mariem Chedad
  • Morocco Soukaina Hamdi
  • Morocco Fatiha Jermoumi
  • Nigeria Mimisen Iyorhe
  • Tunisia Afine Houda
  • Zambia Diana Chikotesha
Video assistant referees
  • Algeria Lahlou Benbraham
  • Egypt Ahmed El-Ghandour
  • Egypt Ahmed Ibrahim
  • Mauritius Ahmad Heerallal
  • Morocco Zakaria Brindisi
  • Morocco Samir Guezzaz
  • Tunisia Haythem Guirat

Draw

[edit]

The final draw was held in Rabat, Morocco on 29 April 2022 at 20:30 GMT (UTC±0).[8] 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.[9]

Seeds Pot 1

Group stage

[edit]

CAF released the official match schedule for the tournament on 29 April 2022.[10][dead link] 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):[11]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches match between the two tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in all group matches;
  3. Goals scored in all group matches;
  4. Drawing of lots.

If more than two teams were tied, the following criteria were applied instead:

  1. Points in matches between the tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in matches between the tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in matches between the tied teams;
  4. 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;
  5. Goal difference in all group matches;
  6. Goals scored in all group matches;
  7. Drawing of lots.

Group A

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Morocco (H) 3 3 0 0 5 1 +4 9 Knockout stage
2  Senegal 3 2 0 1 3 1 +2 6
3  Burkina Faso 3 0 1 2 2 4 −2 1
4  Uganda 3 0 1 2 3 7 −4 1
Source: CAF (archived)
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Morocco 1–0 Burkina Faso
  • Chebbak 29'
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Senegal 2–0 Uganda
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Dorsaf Ganouati (Tunisia)

Burkina Faso 0–1 Senegal
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Fall 84' (pen.)
Referee: Suavis Iratunga (Burundi)
Uganda 1–3 Morocco
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Vincentia Amedome (Togo)

Burkina Faso 2–2 Uganda
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Patience Madu (Nigeria)

Group B

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Zambia 3 2 1 0 5 1 +4 7 Knockout stage
2  Cameroon 3 1 2 0 3 1 +2 5
3  Tunisia 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
4  Togo 3 0 1 2 3 9 −6 1
Source: CAF (archived)
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Cameroon 0–0 Zambia
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Aïssata Boudy Lam[note 1] (Mauritania)
Tunisia 4–1 Togo
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Antsino Twanyanyukwa (Namibia)

Zambia 1–0 Tunisia
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Maria Rivet (Mauritius)
Togo 1–1 Cameroon
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Zomadre Kore (Ivory Coast)

Cameroon 2–0 Tunisia
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Zambia 4–1 Togo
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Woedikou 35'
Referee: Shamira Nabadda (Uganda)

Group C

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  South Africa 3 3 0 0 6 2 +4 9 Knockout stage
2  Nigeria 3 2 0 1 7 2 +5 6
3  Botswana 3 1 0 2 4 5 −1 3
4  Burundi 3 0 0 3 3 11 −8 0
Source: CAF (archived)
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Nigeria 1–2 South Africa
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)
Burundi 2–4 Botswana
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Mame Faye (Senegal)

South Africa 3–1 Burundi
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Shahenda El-Maghrabi (Egypt)
Botswana 0–2 Nigeria
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Letticia Viana (Eswatini)

South Africa 1–0 Botswana
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Dorsaf Ganouati (Tunisia)
Nigeria 4–0 Burundi
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Fatima El Ajjani (Morocco)

Ranking of third-placed teams

[edit]
Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 B  Tunisia 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3 Knockout stage
2 C  Botswana 3 1 0 2 4 5 −1 3
3 A  Burkina Faso 3 0 1 2 2 4 −2 1
Source: CAF (archived)

Knockout stage

[edit]

Bracket

[edit]
 
Quarter finalsSemi finalsFinal
 
          
 
13 July – Rabat (Prince Moulay Abdellah)
 
 
 Morocco 2
 
18 July – Rabat (Prince Moulay Abdellah)
 
 Botswana 1
 
 Morocco (p) 1 (5)
 
14 July – Casablanca
 
 Nigeria 1 (4)
 
 Cameroon 0
 
23 July – Rabat (Prince Moulay Abdellah)
 
 Nigeria 1
 
 Morocco 1
 
13 July – Casablanca
 
 South Africa 2
 
 Zambia (p) 1 (4)
 
18 July – Casablanca
 
 Senegal 1 (2)
 
 Zambia 0
 
14 July – Rabat (Moulay Hassan)
 
 South Africa 1 Third place
 
 South Africa 1
 
22 July – Casablanca
 
 Tunisia 0
 
 Nigeria 0
 
 
 Zambia 1
 
Repechage
          
17 July – Rabat (Moulay Hassan)
 Botswana 0
 Cameroon 1
17 July – Casablanca
 Senegal (p) 0 (4)
 Tunisia 0 (2)

Quarter-finals

[edit]

The winners qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The losers entered a repechage round.

Zambia 1–1 (a.e.t.) Senegal
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Penalties
4–2
Referee: Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

Morocco 2–1 Botswana
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Vincentia Amedome (Togo)


Repechage

[edit]

The winners advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.

Senegal 0–0 Tunisia
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Penalties
4–2
Referee: Letticia Viana (Eswatini)

Botswana 0–1 Cameroon
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Suavis Iratunga (Burundi)

Semi-finals

[edit]
Zambia 0–1 South Africa
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)

Morocco 1–1 (a.e.t.) Nigeria
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Penalties
5–4
Attendance: 45,562[12]
Referee: Maria Rivet (Mauritius)

Third place play-off

[edit]
Nigeria 0–1 Zambia
Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Referee: Vincentia Amedome (Togo)

Final

[edit]
Morocco 1–2 South Africa
Ayane 80' Report (FIFA)
Report (CAF)
Magaia 63', 71'

Goalscorers

[edit]

There were 63 goals scored in 28 matches, for an average of 2.25 goals per match.

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Awards

[edit]

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:[13]

Award Winner
Best player Morocco Ghizlane Chebbak
Best goalkeeper South Africa Andile Dlamini
Top scorer Morocco Ghizlane Chebbak
Nigeria Rasheedat Ajibade
South Africa Hildah Magaia
Fair Play  South Africa
Best XI[14]
Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
South Africa Andile Dlamini

Qualified teams for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

[edit]

The following teams will represent Africa directly at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, while two more teams will have opportunities to join them through the inter-confederation playoffs.

Team Qualified on Previous appearances in FIFA Women's World Cup1
 Zambia 13 July 2022 0 (debut)
 Morocco 13 July 2022 0 (debut)
 Nigeria 14 July 2022 8 (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019)
 South Africa 14 July 2022 1 (2019)
1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Referee Aïssata Boudy Lam was replaced by fourth official Lidya Tafesse (Ethiopia) due to injury at the 64th minute.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Women's International Match Calendar 2020–2023: Fixed dates for international "A" matches" (PDF). FIFA. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Decisions of CAF Executive Committee – 15 January 2021". CAFOnline.com. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Update on FIFA Women's World Cup and men's youth competitions". FIFA. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. ^ "WAFCON 2022: Nigeria/Morocco clash set new Africa record attendance".
  5. ^ "A new star is born as TITRIT gets ready to shine at 2022 TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations". CAFOnline.com. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  6. ^ "TotalEnergies Women's AFCON match officials announced". CAFOnline.com. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  7. ^ "WAFCON Morocoo 2022 – List of selected referees" (PDF). CAFOnline.com. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  8. ^ "TotalEnergies Women's AFCON Draw rescheduled to Friday, 29 April" (Press release). CAFOnline.com. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  9. ^ "TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations Draw procedure explained" (Press release). CAFOnline.com. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Fixtures FT WAFCON - MOROCCO 2022" (PDF). CAFOnline.com. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  11. ^ Nassar, Khaled (21 October 2021). "Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations" (PDF). CAFOnline.com. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Nigeria/Morocco clash set new Africa record attendance". The Guardian. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  13. ^ "South Africa sweep big at WAFCON 2022 Awards". CAF. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  14. ^ "CAF announces TotalEnergies Women's AFCON 2022 Best XI". cafonline.com. CAF. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
[edit]