Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre has criticised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following the decision to postpone the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
CAF announced on Thursday that the tournament will now take place from July 25 to August 16.
The continental governing body said the postponement would give both CAF and the host nation more time to prepare and organise a better competition.
Plumptre, however, expressed disappointment with the decision and the timing of the announcement.
“It just wouldn’t happen for other tournaments in women’s football, especially in men’s football,” Plumptre told BBC.
She noted that the competition carries added significance as it offers teams the opportunity to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“The last WAFCON wasn’t less important because it wasn’t qualification for a World Cup, but obviously this is a chance for teams to qualify for the World Cup,” she said.
Plumptre also highlighted the importance of the tournament for nations that have never previously participated at the competition.
“It’s the first time the tournament will have 16 teams, all of which will want the chance to qualify for the World Cup, and that’s a big deal for many teams,” she added.
“Many teams haven’t even played at WAFCON before and have never had the opportunity to qualify for a World Cup. It also helps them financially.”
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