After missing out in 2020, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Africa’s biggest women’s football event makes a comeback tonight in Morocco this time with 12 teams being involved.Hosts Morocco will kick off the tournament in Rabat against Burkina Faso at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Complex tonight starting at 1130 PM EAT and will be hoping to go all the way and make another appearance on the final day at the same venue.Holders Nigeria will start their title defense on Monday, July 4, when they take on South Africa, the team they eliminated at the final in 2018 to clinch the title.𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘 1️⃣ 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄! 🤩How excited are you about the return of the #TotalEnergiesWAFCON? 👀#TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 | #EmpoweringOurGame pic.twitter.com/JLTlqtL0wX— #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 (@CAFwomen) July 2, 2022 All the other teams seeking to put an end to Nigeria’s dominance in the competition which has seen them lift the title a record 11 times in 13 editions, missing only two to Equatorial Guinea.Neighbors Uganda will kick off their campaign on Sunday with an encounter with Senegal starting at 6 PM EAT.The tournament will also serve as qualifiers for next year’s women’s world cup which will be staged in New Zealand. Four teams from Africa will qualify for New Zealand 2023 meaning securing a place in the tournament will top the priority list for most teams.🇲🇦 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐨 🆚 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐨 🇧🇫🏟 Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.🏆 #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 opening game.📅 July 2. Who will prevail in the competition’s first encounter? 🤔#TeamMorocco | #TeamBurkinaFaso | #EmpoweringOurGame | @EnMaroc pic.twitter.com/F4fywYwlol— #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 (@CAFwomen) July 2, 2022 This year, the tournament will for the first time see the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in all the 28 matches of the tournament and CAF Director of Referees Eddy Mailet says it is a bold step in the right direction.“This is a bold step in the right direction. As women’s football is growing in Africa, it is important that we adopt the latest trends and technology to enhance the game. We have some of the best match officials in Africa in Morocco and training and development of them is key for us. Four female match officials, Salima Mukasanga of Rwanda, Carine Atemzabong of Cameroon and Fatiha Jermoumi, and Bouchra Karboubi from Morocco, were part of the list of match officials at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and did an amazing job. By using VAR for all matches at WAFCON we are looking to continue the progression and development of the standard of CAF women’s football,‘’ Mailet opines.
