For over two decades, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses carried the weight of “nearly.” Three times they reached the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and three times they walked away as runners-up always to the same opponent.
2004: The First Heartbreak
Cameroon’s maiden appearance in a WAFCON final came in 2004, and it ended in disappointment against Nigeria’s Super Falcons, already the continent’s dominant force in the women’s game. It was a signal of things to come both the promise Cameroon showed by reaching the summit, and the shadow Nigeria would cast over their ambitions for years.
2014: A Decade Later, Same Result
A full ten years passed before Cameroon returned to a WAFCON final. The Lionesses had grown into a genuine continental power by then, but the opponent waiting for them was familiar. Nigeria again stood in their way, and again the Super Falcons prevailed, extending their grip on African women’s football and leaving Cameroon to wonder if the trophy would ever be theirs.
2016: Heartbreak at Home
The cruelest of the three came in 2016, when Cameroon hosted the tournament on home soil. With their own fans behind them and a golden opportunity to finally break through, the Lionesses reached the final for a third time only to fall to Nigeria once more. Losing a final at home remains one of the most painful chapters in the team’s history, and it cemented a narrative: Cameroon could get to the final, but Nigeria always seemed to be the wall they couldn’t climb.
2026: A New Opponent, A New Story
This year, everything changed starting with who stood across from them. For the first time in Cameroon’s four WAFCON finals, Nigeria was not the opponent. Instead, Cameroon faced Malawi, tournament debutants who had produced one of the most remarkable underdog runs in WAFCON history, powered by the Chawinga sisters and a run through the knockout stages that included a win over Algeria in the semi-final.
At the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on August 16, Cameroon finally turned near misses into silverware. Marie Ngah opened the scoring inside 20 minutes, heading Cameroon into the lead. Naomi Ndjoah Eto doubled the advantage soon after, and Ngah added her second before halftime to complete a commanding first-half performance. By the break, the contest was effectively over. Cameroon held firm in the second half as Malawi searched for a way back in, and the Lionesses closed out a 3-0 victory to become African champions for the first time in their history.
It was a fitting way to end the story. Cameroon didn’t need to beat Nigeria to finally win the title they simply needed their moment, and Malawi’s fairytale debut run gave them the stage to seize it. The victory also completed a stunning turnaround off the pitch: Cameroon had initially failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament before gaining entry when the competition expanded from 12 to 16 teams.
Individual Glory to Match the Team’s Triumph
Cameroon’s historic night wasn’t just about the team result. Monique Ngock was named Woman of the Competition, recognition for a tournament in which she was central to the Lionesses’ run to the final. Michaely Bihina took home the Best Goalkeeper award, a fitting honor given how much of Cameroon’s road to the title including their penalty shootout win over hosts Morocco in the semi-final rested on defensive resilience.
Three finals lost — 2004, 2014, and 2016 — all to Nigeria, and one final finally won in 2026, against Malawi. For a team that had become synonymous with agonizing near-misses, the wait is over. The Indomitable Lionesses are, at last, champions of Africa.
