Burkina Faso’s Women’s Stallions have arrived in Morocco for an intensive training camp ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with head coach Pascal Sawadogo naming a 30-player squad that includes four goalkeepers, 10 defenders, eight midfielders, and eight forwards.
Key Points
- The squad departed Ouagadougou on February 25 and is now based in Morocco for the third and final phase of pre-tournament preparations, integrating overseas-based players with the domestically-based group that trained at the Stade du 4 Août earlier this month
- Key players in the squad include captain Charlotte Millogo, goalkeeper Mariam Ouattara, and forwards Nana Juliette, Belm Alimta, Rasmata Sawadogo, Sawadogo Balkissa, and Mariam Ouattara
- Two friendly matches against host nation Morocco are confirmed, scheduled for February 27 and March 3 at the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat
- The Women’s AFCON runs from March 17 to April 3 in Morocco, with Burkina Faso placed in Group B alongside South Africa, Ivory Coast, and Tanzania
- This marks only Burkina Faso’s second ever appearance at the Women’s AFCON final tournament, following their debut in 2022 where they were eliminated in the group stage
Context
Burkina Faso’s qualification for WAFCON 2026 was earned across two rounds of CAF qualifying, defeating Burundi and Togo respectively. Coach Sawadogo has followed a deliberate multi-phase preparation strategy, beginning with domestic-only camps focused on physical conditioning before transitioning abroad to integrate the full squad. The FBF president has set a modest but realistic target of progressing beyond the group stage, acknowledging the team’s relative youth and limited experience at this level. Their group presents stiff competition, with South Africa among the continent’s most established women’s programmes.
Why It Matters
Burkina Faso’s presence at WAFCON 2026 represents a meaningful step in the growth of women’s football in West Africa. The expanded 16-team format, a first for the competition, creates more pathways for developing nations to compete at the highest level. With the tournament also serving as the African qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, the stakes extend well beyond continental prestige. For the Women’s Stallions, the combination of Morocco-based preparation and back-to-back friendlies against the tournament hosts offers invaluable experience before the competition kicks off.
Source: Foot Africa
