With less than a month to go until AWCON 2022, Africa’s largest women’s sporting event, the countdown has begun. The CAF tournament kicks off on July 2nd in Morocco, with the final planned for July 23rd.
Morocco 2022 will be the largest event, with 12 participating teams, following the victorious AFCON men’s tournament earlier this year in Cameroon. Hosts In Group A, Morocco will face debutants Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Uganda, while Group B will feature Cameroon, Zambia, Tunisia, and Togo, the fourth team competing in the Nations Cup finals for the first time.
Nigeria, the pre-tournament favorites, is in the same group as South Africa, whom the Super Falcons defeated 4-3 on penalties four years ago in Accra, Ghana, after a 0-0 stalemate. Burundi and Botswana, both first-time qualifiers, round out Group C.
The African Union of Broadcasters, with the help of Afrosport, is broadcasting the event free-to-air across Africa, and it will create a new record for the largest ever TV audience for a women’s sporting event on the continent.
The AWCON 2022 takes place at a time when women’s sports are experiencing a spike in popularity around the world, with viewership figures for football, basketball, boxing, and rugby all increasing.
This trend should be viewed as a global wake-up call and a source of interest that goes beyond sports and confronts societal issues of gender inequality that exist all over the world.
The event’s final takes place just over a week before “African Women’s Day,” which is commemorated on July 31. The AWCON 2022 games will be highlighted by Afrosport and AMAKA, a media firm dedicated to uplifting women in Africa and the Diaspora, in July.
Adaora Oramah is the CEO and Director of Adaora Oramah. “To commemorate Pan-African Women’s Day in July, AMAKA and Afrosport TV are promoting and redefining the participation of African women in football with The Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON).”
African women athletes confront significant infrastructure challenges: from a lack of media attention to a widening gender pay disparity, African women athletes face numerous hurdles that limit their growth and development.
We hope to contribute to a shift in the narrative by encouraging diverse media coverage and widespread coverage of the competition.”
These concerns are certainly relevant in Africa, and AWCON 2022 not only gives a platform for football fans to be captivated by the mesmerizing talent on display, but it also serves as a platform to raise awareness about broader challenges confronting women in African sport and society.
“AWCON 2022 presents an opportunity for us all to exhibit the abilities of some of the best women players in the world and should be embraced by all true football lovers,” Adeola Ogundele, Business Development Manager at Afrosport, said.
The most important legacy of AWCON 2022, however, will be a legacy that transcends beyond sport, as issues of gender inequity, empowerment, and a future of hope and inspiration for the next generation of young girls will be highlighted.”