(PREVIEW) WAFCON: Morocco, Algeria clash in third-place tie

Morocco and Algeria will clash in the third-place play-off of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) at the Rabat Olympic Stadium, marking a historic encounter as the two North African sides meet for the first time in a medal match. Morocco, seeking their third top-three finish, were eliminated after a 1-0 loss to Cameroon in penalties, while Algeria, despite being guaranteed their best-ever finish, suffered a 3-1 semi-final loss to Malawi.

This will be only the third time two teams previously meeting in the group stage have faced each other again in the third-place play-off. Morocco and Algeria have a notable rivalry, with Morocco winning both of their previous encounters against North African opposition. A win for Morocco would secure a third top-three finish at the competition, while Algeria will achieve their highest-ever WAFCON finish regardless of the outcome.