WAFCON 2026: Morocco lose again on penalties as Algeria finish third

Morocco's Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign ended in further penalty shootout heartbreak on Saturday, as they lost 3-2 to Algeria in the third-place play-off. The match concluded in a 1-1 draw after regulation time, mirroring the team's previous shootout loss in the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals on Wednesday, Morocco was eliminated by Cameroon after missing three consecutive penalty kicks. Against Algeria in Rabat, history repeated itself: Morocco converted their first two penalties, but then missed the subsequent three attempts. Algeria secured the bronze medal when Ines Belloumou successfully converted her penalty.

Morocco had taken the lead in the 37th minute through Kautar Azraf, but Lina Boussaha equalized for Algeria in the 83rd minute. There was no extra time played.

This latest disappointment adds to Morocco's WAFCON history. Having hosted the tournament for the third consecutive time, they have fallen short each time, finishing as runners-up in both 2022 and 2024. Despite the penalty shootout woes, the Atlas Lionesses have secured qualification for the 32-nation Women's World Cup in Brazil next year by reaching the semi-finals. Cameroon, Malawi, and Algeria have also earned spots, with South Africa and Ghana potentially increasing Africa's representation through inter-continental play-offs.