Just three nations have shared all Women’s AFCON titles since 1998 as Nigeria claims 9 of 12 titles

Key Takeaways

  • Only three nations, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa, have won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since it began in 1998.
  • Nigeria leads with nine titles, claiming the trophy in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018.
  • Equatorial Guinea captured the title twice, in 2008 and 2012.
  • South Africa won its first title in 2022 to become the third country to lift the trophy.

Since its official launch as a biennial event in 1998, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has crowned champions from just three countries. Nigeria’s dominance is clear, with nine titles between 1998 and 2018. Equatorial Guinea is the only other nation to win multiple titles, securing it twice in 2008 and 2012. South Africa broke through in 2022 to become the third country ever to lift the trophy at the tournament’s 14th edition.

Notably, the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, interrupting the regular competition cycle. That means only twelve tournaments have been completed since inception, with Nigeria winning 75%, Equatorial Guinea 16.7%, and South Africa 8.3%.

Source:

Confederation of African Football (CAF)

Period:

1998 - 2024
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Click to copy HTML embed code
Tags
Related Insights
USA dominates Diamond League's 100m hurdles with 7 wins from 3 athletes since 2010, as Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan rises with 3 consecutive wins
  • The United States dominates with 7 wins from 4 different athletes: Harper-Nelson (5), Carruthers (1) and McNeal (1).
  • Tobi Amusan of Nigeria is the only African and second-most decorated athlete, winning 3 consecutive titles (2021–2023).
  • Only 8 women from 6 countries have won the event in the last 15 years.
  • Dawn Harper-Nelson (USA) holds the record for most titles – five between 2012 and 2016.
  • Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico) broke through in 2024, becoming the most recent champion and the first from her nation to do so.
Africa and Asia share just 8 of 32 Club World Cup spots as Europe dominates entry list
  • Europe leads with 12 clubs, including giants like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich, solidifying its global dominance.
  • South America contributes 6 teams, such as Palmeiras, Flamengo, and River Plate, reflecting its strong continental performance.
  • Africa's 4 clubs, Al Ahly (Egypt), Wydad AC (Morocco), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), represent CAF’s top tier.
  • Asia also fields 4 clubs, including Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Al Ain (UAE), and Ulsan HD (South Korea).
  • Oceania and North America are modestly represented with one club from New Zealand and four from the CONCACAF region, including Inter Miami as host.
Morocco leads Africa in FIFA rankings at 12th position globally with 1694.24 points. Nigeria trails at 43rd position
  • Morocco leads Africa in FIFA rankings with 1694.24 points, placing 12th globally, signalling its sustained excellence on the international stage.
  • Senegal (1630.32 pts) and Egypt (1518.79 pts) are the next top African teams, ranked 19th and 32nd globally, respectively.
  • The point gap between top teams is significant: Morocco leads Nigeria (1481.35 pts) by over 210 points, reflecting performance consistency.
  • Five of Africa’s top 10 teams are from North Africa, showcasing the region’s dominance in tactical strength and international success.
Mohamed Salah tops African Premier League goal scorers with 186 goals, while Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire boast 3 players each in the top 10
  • Mohamed Salah leads with 186 goals, ranking 5th all-time in Premier League history.
  • Sadio Mané (111 goals) and Didier Drogba (104 goals) are the only other Africans to cross the 100-goal mark.
  • Yakubu Aiyegbeni is Nigeria’s top scorer in the Premier League with 95 goals.
  • Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo) ranks 4th among Africans with 97 goals.
  • Yaya Touré, though a midfielder, scored 62 goals, making him one of the most prolific African midfielders in league history.
  • The presence of three Nigerians—Yakubu, Kanu, and Efan Ekoku—shows Nigeria’s enduring legacy in the league.
  • Côte d'Ivoire also boasts of three players among the top 10 list.
The top three Nigerian goal scorers, Yakubu (95), Kanu (54), and Ekoku (52), collectively account for over 200 Premier League goals
  • Yakubu Aiyegbeni leads all Nigerian scorers in Premier League history with 95 goals.
  • Kanu (54) and Efan Ekoku (52) round out the top three, with a combined total of 201 goals among them.
  • Kelechi Iheanacho (42 goals) is the highest active Nigerian scorer.
  • Shola Ameobi had a consistent career with 43 goals, mostly with Newcastle United.
  • Alex Iwobi (31 goals) continues to be a key attacking presence in midfield roles.
Only three managers have achieved 3 or more Champions League titles since 1992, with Carlo Ancelotti topping the list with 5 wins
  • Carlo Ancelotti leads with 5 Champions League wins, making him the most successful manager (in terms of wins) in the competition since 1992.
  • Only three managers have 3 or more wins: Ancelotti (5), Guardiola (3), and Zidane (3).
  • Zidane is the only manager to win 3 consecutive titles (2016–2018) with a single club.
  • José Mourinho has 2 wins with two different clubs—Porto and Inter Milan.
  • Jupp Heynckes also has 2 wins, including Bayern Munich’s 2013 treble season.
  • Ottmar Hitzfeld is one of the few to win with two different clubs (Dortmund and Bayern Munich).
  • Vicente del Bosque, with 2 wins, was instrumental in Real Madrid's early-2000s dominance.
POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form
A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved