Cameroon Women’s National Team have finally conquered Africa. The Indomitable Lionesses defeated Malawi 3-0 to lift their first continental trophy after years of frustration and four lost continental finals. The title confirms the rise of a new generation that will now turn its attention to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, where Cameroon will arrive as the new African champions.

An Unbeaten Champion That Defied the Favorites

Cameroon’s road to the title began in Group D, where they were drawn alongside Mali, Ghana and Cape Verde. The Lionesses opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over Mali before defeating Ghana 1-0. On the final matchday, they drew 1-1 with Cape Verde, their only game without a victory in the group stage.

A record of two wins, one draw and no defeats allowed Cameroon to advance with authority and establish their credentials from the outset. Then came the real test: in the quarterfinals, they eliminated Nigeria, the defending champions, before knocking out Morocco, the hosts and one of the tournament favorites. That set up a final against Malawi, the competition’s biggest surprise.

Against Malawi, Cameroon left no room for another upset. Marie Ngah Manga scored twice to reach five goals and establish herself among the tournament’s leading scorers, while Naomi Eto added another before halftime to make it 3-0. The result capped a tournament in which the Lionesses proved they could overcome high-level opponents with different styles across the CAF competition.

Valentine Nguele and the Birth of a New Generation

The title also bears the mark of Valentine Nguele, who was appointed Cameroon head coach on June 12, 2026, just two months before the WAFCON. She replaced Jean-Baptiste Bisseck, who was dismissed on October 29, 2025, following a period marked by poor results. Her appointment was historic: she became the first woman to coach Cameroon.

Nguele did not arrive from outside Cameroonian football. She was a national team player from 2000 to 2010 before building an extensive coaching career, particularly in women’s football at the domestic level. With Louves Minproff, she won eight league titles and six Cameroon Cups, while she also enjoyed recent success with FC Ebolowa.

Her arrival came at a moment of enormous pressure. Cameroon had initially been eliminated from WAFCON qualifying but received a second chance after the tournament was expanded from 12 to 16 teams. Nguele and coordinator Dimitri Lipoff, together with the new coaching staff, had only a few weeks to prepare the team.

The result was historic. Nguele turned a last-minute opportunity into Cameroon’s first African title and, in doing so, established herself among the coaches who have made history in African women’s football.

Among the emerging stars were Monique Ngock, Naomi Eto, Marie Gisèle Ngah Manga and Michaely Bihina. Ngock provided balance and personality in midfield; Eto became an important creative presence; Ngah Manga delivered the goals; and Bihina provided security between the posts.

Colette Ndzana also perfectly represents the character of this new Cameroon side. The defender was an important part of the campaign and served as an effective captain. Her impact was particularly evident in the quarterfinal against Nigeria, although she suffered an injury that put her participation in the semifinal against Morocco in doubt. Before the final, Ndzana stressed the importance of staying focused and turning the fans’ support into motivation without losing discipline. Her message reflected the mentality that ultimately defined the champions: talent, collective commitment and mental strength in decisive moments.

The championship becomes even more significant when considering Cameroon’s history. The team had lost the finals in 1991, 2004, 2014 and 2016. The first defeat came in the inaugural edition of what was then known as the African Women’s Championship, against Nigeria. Three more runner-up finishes followed after the competition was renamed the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The Lionesses therefore needed five finals and 35 years to finally conquer Africa.

Glory, Revenge and a New Source of Inspiration

The new generation of Cameroon does not want to start from scratch. Instead, they want to follow in the footsteps of the legends who built the identity of the Indomitable Lionesses. Ajara Nchout and Madeleine Ngono Mani represent two fundamental eras in that history, although neither was part of the 2026 championship squad. Nchout, one of Cameroon’s greatest attacking players and a star at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, was left out of the final squad after initially taking part in preparations. Ngono Mani, the national team’s historic goalscorer, has already stepped away from the competitive side of the game.

But if there was one player who served as a bridge between those generations and the new champions, it was Gabrielle Aboudi Onguéné. The captain arrived in Morocco for her eighth WAFCON appearance, a tournament record, after 16 years representing Cameroon. The veteran brought more than experience: she arrived determined to fulfill the only major ambition still missing from her international career — winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Onguéné had already experienced the heartbreak of the 2016 final, played in Cameroon, when the Lionesses lost 1-0 to Nigeria after Desire Oparanozie’s 84th-minute goal. That defeat, in front of a packed Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, became one of the deepest wounds in Cameroonian women’s football. Ten years later, the national team had the chance to turn that memory into sporting revenge — and this time, they eliminated Nigeria in the quarterfinals on their way to the title.

That is why this championship does not belong solely to the new generation. It is also a reward for the players who kept Cameroon among Africa’s elite for years — and a starting point for the footballers now ready to write their own history.

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