Cameroon have finally broken through Africa’s ceiling.
The Indomitable Lionesses defeated Malawi 3–0 in Rabat on Sunday to win the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, turning three previous final defeats into the first continental title in their history.
It was not simply a trophy won on final night. Cameroon’s title was built through one of the tournament’s hardest knockout routes.
They first removed defending champions Nigeria 1–0 in the quarter-finals, with goalkeeper Michaely Bihina making nine saves to shut out the record 10-time African champions.
Cameroon then survived 120 goalless minutes against hosts Morocco before winning the semi-final shootout 3–1, with Bihina saving three penalties.
By the time Malawi arrived for the final, Cameroon had already passed through two of the tournament’s biggest pressure points.
The final completed the job.
Malawi entered the contest as WAFCON debutants on a remarkable run of their own. They had scored 12 goals before the final and reached the decider after beating Ghana 2–1 in the quarter-finals and Algeria 3–1 in the semi-finals.
But Cameroon brought the stronger defensive structure into Rabat.
Before the final, the Lionesses had conceded only twice in the tournament and kept three clean sheets. Their resistance had already survived Nigeria and Morocco; against Malawi, that platform became championship control.
The 3–0 victory also rewrote Cameroon’s WAFCON history.
They had reached previous finals in 2004, 2014 and 2016 without winning the title. All three defeats came against Nigeria.
This time, with the Super Falcons already eliminated and a first-time finalist standing between Cameroon and the trophy, the Lionesses did not let the opening close.
Bihina’s tournament became one of the defining stories of the championship.
CAF awarded the 22-year-old goalkeeper the Golden Glove after a knockout run in which she made 12 saves across the Nigeria and Morocco games without conceding. She finished the tournament with another clean sheet in the final.
Midfielder Monique Ngock also emerged from the campaign with individual recognition, with CAF naming her the Woman of the Competition after Cameroon’s title run.
For Nigeria, there is an unavoidable edge to Cameroon’s success.
The Super Falcons entered the competition as defending champions and the dominant force in WAFCON history, but Cameroon were the team that ended their title defence.
The side that shut Nigeria out then survived the hosts and finished the tournament by lifting the trophy.
Africa now has a new women’s champion, and another country has broken into territory Nigeria once controlled almost by default.
Cameroon became only the fourth nation to win WAFCON, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
Malawi leave Morocco without the trophy, but their debut campaign still changed their standing in African women’s football. The Scorchers reached the final at their first attempt and secured qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup by reaching the last four.
Cameroon leave with something bigger.
After years of being close, they are no longer chasing Africa’s champions.
They are Africa’s champions.
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