Algeria signed off from the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in third place, seeing off Morocco on penalties in the play-off. It is the best they have ever managed at the tournament. For Morocco, the ending stung. They were playing on home soil, and they had reached the final in each of the previous two editions.
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Algeria women's national football team instaAug 17, 2026
Algeria advance: Morocco slip in the North Africa race
Algeria women's national football team instaAlgeria: a major leap after years of absence
Algeria's women have come a long way in recent years, and their latest result proves it. They first appeared at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2004, then returned in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. After sitting out the 2022 edition, they came back in 2024 to reach the quarter-finals, and they went one better in 2026 by finishing third.
The bigger story is their ambition. Early exits used to define their continental campaigns. Now they are fighting for the top spots, and reaching the semi-finals has booked them a historic first appearance at the 2027 Women's World Cup.
GettyMorocco: notable decline after two years of competing for the title
For Morocco, fourth place marks a clear step backwards from the previous two editions. The Moroccan national team reached the final of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, losing 2-1 to South Africa, then made the final again in 2024 before going down 3-2 to Nigeria.
The 2026 edition offered a chance to cash in on home advantage and build on that recent progress. Instead, defeat to Algeria in the third-place play-off leaves Morocco settling for fourth, well short of expectations. Over the past two tournaments, they had grown into one of the most serious contenders for the continental crown.
Moroccan Football Federation mediaThe gap in international experience: Morocco holds a historic edge
At Africa Cup of Nations level, Morocco boast a longer recent history of reaching the latter stages than Algeria, who remain firmly on the rise. The gulf widens at World Cup level. Morocco featured in the 2023 edition and pulled off a historic feat, reaching the round of 16 on their debut, whereas Algeria had never played in the tournament before sealing their spot in the 2027 edition.
Algeria's third-place finish, then, is about far more than getting one over on Morocco in a single match. It sits within an upward curve that began with a return to continental competition, continued through a semi-final run and now takes in World Cup qualification. Morocco, meanwhile, must take a hard look at their direction after results dipped in a tournament staged on their own soil.