WAFCON began with two matches, eight goals and a television mystery for supporters in the United Kingdom.
CAF’s pre-tournament list of international broadcasters named Channel 4 as the UK home of the competition. That appeared to be excellent news: the broadcaster had shown every match of the men’s Africa Cup of Nations free-to-air only months earlier. Yet when Algeria faced Senegal in Sunday’s opener, there was no WAFCON coverage on Channel 4’s television channels, streaming service or sports YouTube channel.
Fans spent the evening refreshing schedules and searching for a legal stream. Some also reported that CAF TV’s YouTube coverage was unavailable in the UK, apparently because the territory had been assigned to a broadcaster.
What happened to the Channel 4 deal?
There has still been no public announcement from Channel 4 confirming that it acquired the rights to WAFCON 2026. Journalist Kathryn Batte reported on Monday that she understood no agreement had been reached between Channel 4 and CAF, despite the broadcaster initially appearing on CAF’s list.
Channel 4 has since disappeared from the list being circulated for the tournament. That points to a breakdown in communication rather than a broadcaster purchasing the rights and then choosing not to show the matches. It does not, however, make the experience any less frustrating for supporters who were told where they could watch and discovered the problem only after the tournament had started.
A tournament this important should not be difficult to find
The confusion is particularly damaging because WAFCON has expanded to 16 teams and also forms part of the qualification route for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia headline a field containing established stars and four tournament debutants.
People in the UK clearly wanted to watch. The opening night produced a flood of questions across social media, along with unofficial links shared by fans simply trying to find the matches. Clear information before kick-off would have prevented most of that scramble.
CAF and any prospective UK broadcast partner now need to clarify the position quickly. If no television agreement is in place, supporters should be told whether the remaining matches will be made available through CAF TV. The worst outcome would be another round of fixtures beginning with viewers still unsure where — or whether — they can legally watch.
WomenLiveScore has contacted neither party and has not independently confirmed the contractual position. This article reflects CAF’s original broadcaster listing, the absence of a Channel 4 announcement and reporting attributed to Kathryn Batte.
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