From Nigeria’s Dominance To Cameroon’s Breakthrough: The Changing Face Of WAFCON
By FRED LONGJOHN OBEH
Cameroon Join WAFCON Winners’ Club as Nigeria’s Historic Dominance Faces New Challenge
CAMEROON have finally broken through.
The Indomitable Lionesses defeated Malawi 3–0 in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat to claim their first continental title and become only the fourth country to win the competition.
Marie Ngah Manga scored twice, while Naomi Ndjoah Eto added another goal as Cameroon settled the final before half-time.
The victory ended decades of near-misses for Cameroon and added a new name to a winners’ list that Nigeria have dominated for much of the competition’s history.
Cameroon End Long Wait
Cameroon had previously reached the WAFCON final three times without lifting the trophy.
That history made the 2026 victory particularly significant.
This time, however, the Indomitable Lionesses wasted little time establishing control. Their three first-half goals effectively settled the contest before Malawi could find a response.
For Malawi, the final itself represented a remarkable achievement. The team had reached the WAFCON final for the first time, only to encounter a Cameroon side determined to convert another opportunity into history.
The 3–0 result therefore carried significance for both countries.
Malawi announced themselves as an emerging force, while Cameroon finally completed a journey that had repeatedly ended short of the trophy.
Nigeria Still Stand Alone
Cameroon’s breakthrough has changed the composition of the WAFCON winners’ list, but it has not altered the identity of its dominant force.
Nigeria remain the undisputed leaders.
The Super Falcons have won 10 officially recognised WAFCON titles, placing them comfortably ahead of Equatorial Guinea, South Africa and Cameroon.
Nigeria’s official championship victories came in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2024.
The first two African women’s championships, in 1991 and 1995, are part of the competition’s historical record, although CAF’s current official tally begins with the 1998 edition.
Nigeria’s latest triumph came in the 2024 edition, which was eventually played in Morocco in 2025 following the postponement of the tournament.
The Super Falcons appeared to be heading for defeat after falling 2–0 behind Morocco in the final.
Instead, they produced one of the tournament’s most memorable comebacks.
Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi and Joe Echegini scored after the interval as Nigeria overturned the deficit and secured their 10th official championship.
Four Countries Have Now Reached the Summit
Cameroon’s victory means only four countries have won the WAFCON.
Nigeria occupy first place with 10 titles.
Equatorial Guinea follow with two championships, while South Africa and Cameroon have one each.
Equatorial Guinea’s rise was particularly impressive.
The country won its first title in 2008 after defeating South Africa 2–1 in the final. Four years later, Equatorial Guinea again reached the summit, beating South Africa 4–0 in the 2012 final.
South Africa finally ended their own long wait in 2022.
Banyana Banyana defeated Morocco 2–1 in the final to become African champions for the first time. Their victory also ended Nigeria’s run as the continent’s most recent champions.
Nigeria responded three years later by defeating South Africa in the 2025 semi-final before going on to reclaim the title.
A New Era of Competition?
Cameroon’s breakthrough could signal a broader transformation.
For years, African women’s football revolved largely around Nigeria, with Equatorial Guinea and later South Africa providing occasional interruptions.
The emergence of Cameroon as a champion suggests that the competitive gap may be narrowing.
The 2026 tournament also expanded from 12 to 16 teams. Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Egypt entered the expanded field after CAF selected the highest-ranked teams eliminated in the final qualifying round.
Cameroon seized the opportunity.
Their title demonstrates that expanding the competition can create additional pathways for established teams to compete at the highest level and potentially produce new champions.
Nigeria’s Challenge Remains
Nigeria’s record is unlikely to be threatened immediately.
Ten official titles remain a formidable benchmark.
However, the broader question is no longer whether Nigeria can dominate the competition indefinitely. It is whether the rest of Africa can continue closing the gap.
South Africa have already demonstrated that Nigeria can be displaced.
Equatorial Guinea have shown that a smaller football nation can build a successful women’s programme.
Cameroon have now taken another step by converting repeated final appearances into a championship.
The WAFCON is therefore entering a potentially more competitive phase.
Nigeria remain the benchmark. But Cameroon’s historic victory shows that the summit is no longer occupied by one country alone.
