Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) 2022 set to Kick Off
The countdown to AWCON 2022 – Africa’s biggest women’s sports event – is underway with less than a month to go. The CAF tournament commences on 2 July in Morocco, with the final match scheduled for 23 July.
Following the successful AFCON mens tournament earlier this year in Cameroon, Morocco 2022 will be the biggest tournament with the expansion to 12 participating teams. Hosts Morocco will take on debutants Burkina Faso, Senegal and Uganda in Group A, while Group B will be comprised of Cameroon, Zambia, Tunisia and Togo, the fourth team who will make their Nations Cup finals bow.
The pre-tournament favourites Nigeria are grouped with South Africa, who the Super Falcons beat 4-3 on penalties to lift the trophy four years ago following a 0-0 draw in Accra, Ghana. First-time qualifiers Burundi and Botswana complete the line-up in Group C.
The event is being televised across Africa on Free-to-Air by the African Union of Broadcasters, supported by Afrosport, and will set a new record for the biggest ever TV audience for a women’s sporting event on the continent.
The AWCON 2022 comes at a time when there is an upsurge in interest across the globe in women’ssporting events – with viewing figures forfootball, basketball, boxing and rugby growing from strength to strength. This trend should be seen as something of a global wake-up call and an interest that transcends the playing field, and addresses societal issues of gender inequality that permeates around the world.
The final of the event takes place just over a week before “the day of African Women” celebrated on 31 July. Afrosport have teamed up with AMAKA, a media company committed to empowering women in Africa and the Diaspora, to spotlighting The AWCON’s 2022 games this July.
Adaora Oramah CEO & Director, “To celebrate Pan-African Women’s Day this July, AMAKA and Afrosport TV are amplifying The Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON), highlighting and redefining the representation of African women in football. African women athletes face notable infrastructural challenges: From little sports coverage, the exacerbating gender pay gap, to being underfunded, there are notable roadblocks that stifle growth and development for Africa’s women athletes. We are seeking to play our part in changing the narrative, fostering inclusive media representation and widespread coverage of the tournament.”
Certainly, these issues are poignant in Africa, and AWCON 2022 not only presents an opportunity for football loving fans to be entertained with the mesmeric talent that will be on show, but also provides a platform to shine a light on wider issues confronting women in African sport and society.
Adeola Ogundele, Business Development Manager at Afrosport added, “AWCON 2022 provides an opportunity for us all to showcase the talents of some of the best women footballers in the world and should be embraced by all true football fans. However, the greatest significance of AWCON 2022 will be a legacy that goes beyond sport as issues of gender inequality, empowerment, and a future of hope and inspiration for the next generation of young girls are brought to the fore.”
