Canadian players getting international experience playing in Women’s African Cup of Nation soccer tournament

As of late, the attention of the football world was on Gianni Infantino’s ridiculous and failed proposal to sell off future World Cup profits to private investors.

While this drama has played out, actual brilliant football continues to be played and lies at the feet of African women. The Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) runs July 26-Aug. 16, with 16 teams vying for the championship to be played in Rabat, Morocco.

There have already been some thrilling results. Malawi — in its WAFCON debut — beat 10-time winners and defending champs Nigeria 3-2.  Algeria, Cameroon and hosts Morocco have already advanced to the quarterfinals.

The tournament has had its issues. Initially scheduled for March, it was postponed four months for what Moroccan officials described as “unforeseen circumstances.” Broadcasts rights were only secured a week before the tournament’s start, and attendance has been spotty.

Regardless, WAFCON has a positive effect on women’s soccer, even as far away as  Canada. 

The Northern Super League (NSL) has three players participating: AFC Toronto teammates Esther Okoronkwo (Nigeria’s Super Falcons) and Linda Owusu Ansah (Ghana’s Black Queens), and Montreal Roses’s Evelyn Badu (Ghana).

Although it is not an official international window, the players have received blessings and support from their clubs. 

NSL president Christina Litz said the league is celebrating the trio’s participation in WAFCON and are cheering them on from Canada. 

“Our mission to be a top women’s league in the world demands that we be a destination for top players from all around the world,” Litz said. “When NSL players are selected to play for their national team it is an indicator that we are achieving that goal and we know great players attract more great players.”

AFC Toronto fully backed Okoronkow when she was subject to a torrent of online racial abuse after posting about a theft from her and her teammates’s rooms at a hotel in Casablanca. This was necessary and important because when overseas players choose to work in Canada, their international careers are intertwined with their careers here and ultimately their contributions to the Canadian soccer landscape. 

There are other players who represent African countries and live in Canada with dual citizenships. Nyota Katembo (25) is from Montreal and plays for AFC Toronto. She was called up last summer to represent DR Congo in a match against Tanzania. DR Congo is not competing at WAFCON 2026 but the impact of Katembo’s involvement with African women’s soccer only emboldens the ecosystem in Canada. 

Similarly, 21-year old Eden Ouédraogo-Soulier plays with CS Saint-Laurent in a Montreal suburb but is also a Burkina Faso international. As federations around the world strengthen their women’s programs they often look to players in the diaspora who are eligible to play for them. 

Egypt has three Egyptian-Canadian players on their team at WAFCON: Leia Khairy, Christina Salama and Sienna Church, who all play college soccer in the U.S. Their teammate, Joanna Abdelmalak, plays for York University but was injured in a pre-tournament friendly against Senegal and is missing the tournament.

Abdelmalak grew up watching the men’s version of the tournament and when she realized she could potentially play for the women’s side, she knew she had to wear that jersey. 

“I’m representing so much more than just a country, like my family, my friends … I love playing for Egypt,” she said.

‘Important tournament’

Abdelmalak said the calibre of the women’s game is often overlooked.

“I think people don’t realize how developed soccer is in Africa … and it doesn’t get as much attention as a men’s team,” she said. “It’s an important tournament because it will show the quality that there is in Africa. It’s pretty legit.” 

Players with international experience playing in Canada help grow the game by bringing expanded styles of play, a flair of different techniques, and also add so much to the culture of women’s soccer here. Exposing Canadians to African soccer is exciting and offers a wider lens with which to understand and love the beautiful game. 

Anaïs Oularbi grew up in Quebec and plays for the Vancouver Rise in the NSL. She has played for Algeria’s youth team and hopes to be selected for the country’s senior national team. Oularbi said WAFCON is bigger than just soccer, it’s also about giving a platform and helping drive positive change.

“As the tournament gets more attention, people do their research and become more and more aware of issues like unequal resources, unpaid players and the discrimination that some African footballers experience,” Oularbi said. “Those discussions are important to make the game grow, those discussions can lead to better support, accountability and investment in women’s football in Africa.” 

She said representing Algeria was the most memorable experience for her. 

“Playing for your country for all of those little girls that don’t have the same chance as I did was something I was very proud of.”