The opening round of Group B in the TotalEnergies 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations delivered plenty of surprises and thrilling football displays. Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania both kicked off their campaigns in style, facing Burkina Faso and South Africa respectively.
Tanzania stun South Africa with a shock victory
No one saw this coming. The Twiga Stars pulled off the round’s biggest upset by toppling the 2022 African champions, South Africa, with a 2-1 scoreline. The Tanzanians struck first through Diana Masiu, who finished off a brilliant assist from Asha Rashid.
But Banyana Banyana were quick to respond, with veteran Bambanani Mbane equalizing just before halftime in the 45+2 minute. However, Tanzania were determined to steal the spotlight. Hashnat Obamda netted the decisive winner in the 87th minute, securing three precious points for her team.
Côte d’Ivoire roar back in spectacular fashion
After a 12-year absence from the competition, the Elephants returned with a bang. Facing Burkina Faso, they cruised to a commanding 4-1 victory to top the group on goal difference. The contest was settled early, with Rebecca Eloh converting a penalty in the 7th minute. Ines Konan then bagged a quick-fire brace in the 14th and 22nd minutes, putting her side firmly in control before the break.
FULL-TIME! 🇨🇮🇧🇫A dominant win for Côte d’Ivoire. #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2026 pic.twitter.com/9FivSSzqLT
— CAF Women Football (@CAFwomen) July 27, 2026
After Burkina Faso’s goalkeeper Fouziatou Ouedraogo was sent off in the 52nd minute, their net was breached again by Safi Ouedraogo in the 55th minute. Adama Kongo managed to pull one back with a consolation goal in the 60th minute. Côte d’Ivoire’s dominant and clinical display sent a clear message to their rivals in the tournament.
Group B standings after the first round
With these results, Group B is already shaping up to be decisive. The next round will see Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania clash in a top-of-the-table showdown, while South Africa will look to bounce back against Burkina Faso.
Piala Dunia 2026
Piala Dunia FIFA 2026 akan menjadi edisi paling revolusioner dalam sejarah sepak bola dunia. Turnamen ini untuk pertama kalinya akan diselenggarakan di tiga negara sekaligus, yaitu Amerika Serikat, Kanada, dan Meksiko. Selain itu, jumlah peserta juga meningkat dari 32 menjadi 48 tim, membuka peluang lebih besar bagi negara-negara dari berbagai konfederasi untuk tampil di panggung global. Format baru ini akan menghadirkan lebih banyak pertandingan, atmosfer kompetisi yang lebih luas, serta jangkauan penonton yang semakin besar di seluruh dunia.
Dengan skala yang jauh lebih besar, FIFA menargetkan turnamen ini sebagai ajang yang tidak hanya kompetitif tetapi juga spektakuler dari sisi teknologi dan pengalaman penonton. Stadion-stadion modern di berbagai kota tuan rumah telah dipersiapkan untuk menghadirkan pertandingan berkelas dunia, didukung oleh inovasi seperti peningkatan sistem VAR dan pengalaman digital bagi fans. diprediksi akan menjadi tonggak baru dalam evolusi sepak bola internasional, memperkuat popularitas olahraga ini sekaligus menciptakan momen-momen bersejarah yang akan dikenang dalam waktu lama.
