Mama Diop of Senegal during the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations Women Qualifier Match between Cote d Ivoire and Senegal 2nd leg at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on 28 October 2025 ©Ralph Kakou/BackpagePix
Wednesday Mar 04, 2026. 15:00
Mama Diop of the Senegalese women’s football team has stated that the success of their male counterparts is something that is inspiring the team to aim higher ahead of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign.
The Lionesses of Teranga made their first appearance at the continental showpiece in 2012 and failed to reach another edition until 10 years later. Now, they have qualified for the tournament three times on the trot.
“It is a real sign of progress,” said Diop, speaking to CAF Online.
“Qualifying for the third time in a row shows that our work is paying off. Everything we do every day, in training and in matches, brings results. This qualification proves that women’s football in Senegal is growing and moving in the right direction.”
Diop stated that seeing the Lions of Teranga lift the trophy at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco in January has inspired the women’s team to aim high.
“It is a great source of pride to see the men’s team crowned African champions for the second time. It has given us even more motivation. People now expect Senegal to succeed in football, and seeing the boys reach the top pushes us to aim for the same level of excellence,” she said.
In the last two WAFCON tournaments, Senegal has been knocked out in the quarterfinals. Diop and her teammates are aiming to go a step further and secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with four spots available for the WAFCON semi-finalists.
“In the previous editions, we stopped at the quarter-finals. This time, we want to go beyond that stage. The objective is clear: to take that next step, aim for the final and, why not, qualify for the biggest tournament in the world. It is an ambition shared by the entire team.
“Reaching the semi-finals and securing our ticket to the World Cup is a priority. Why not aim for a first qualification in our history? It would mean so much to us and to the entire country. We are working every day to make that dream a reality.”
Senegal has been drawn in group A alongside Kenya, Algeria and Morocco, and faces a tough task ahead of it is to achieve its goal.
By Nic Gleeson