South Africa Denies Hosting WAFCON Amidst Conflicting Statements

South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has refuted claims that the nation will replace Morocco as the hosts of this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). This comes after comments made by Deputy Minister Peace Mabe on Sunday, suggesting South Africa was poised to step in.

Mabe’s remarks, made at the HollywoodBets Super League awards ceremony, indicated that South Africa had seized an opportunity to host the tournament after Morocco reportedly withdrew. She cited the country’s infrastructure, experience from the 2010 men’s World Cup, and recent G20 summit as proof of readiness. Mabe even suggested the tournament could proceed with minimal disruption, given the proposed March 17 – April 3 timeframe.

However, McKenzie swiftly contradicted his deputy, stating that discussions regarding WAFCON 2026 were in their preliminary stages and no official hosting rights had been confirmed. He clarified that South Africa had merely expressed a willingness to assist the Confederation of African Football (CAF) if alternative arrangements became necessary. McKenzie stressed that Morocco remains the official host and CAF has not yet initiated any alternative hosting process.