Ivory Coast's next star forward, Senegalese striker-turned-keeper, and more: Breakout talents from WAFCON 2026
While international superstars such as Barbra Banda and the Chawinga sisters made headlines, a host of young talents have impressed at WAFCON 2026.
WAFCON 2026 hasn’t received as much attention as it might have done from non-Moroccan fans and Africa’s football federations, but scouts from around the world will have been keeping a close eye on the tournament’s breakout stars.
An array of emerging talents announced themselves during the group stage, and the knockout rounds are well-stocked with young players ready to take the world by storm.
N’Sira Safi - Ivory Coast, 18, striker
The outstanding young player of the group stage has been Ivorian striker N’Sira Safi Ouédraogo, whose tally of five goal involvements has only been bettered by NWSL superstars Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga.
After earning her place in the squad with a four-goal performance in an Under-20 game against Morocco, the FC Nordsjælland forward’s standout attributes have transferred seamlessly into the senior ranks.
Her incredible ball control at speed helps her whizz past defenders and fly through gaps with the ball almost glued to her feet, particularly when using her left foot. Her agility enables her to dance past defenders with quick footwork and once in shooting range, hits the ball with power.
Safi has more assists than goals at WAFCON so far, producing excellent deliveries while on set-piece duty and also showing off her ability to thread passes through the lines in open play. She set up both of Ivory Coast’s goals against South Africa this way and her awareness and decision-making look sharp for someone at such a tender age.
The Right to Dream academy product was a woman on a mission in the quarter-finals, too, as she single-handedly tore through Algeria’s back line and had a big hand in setting up the opening. It is a shame for viewers that she was controversially sent off in that game for brushing the stooping keeper’s face while challenging for a loose ball, thus ending her campaign.
Safi moved from Ghana to Denmark after turning 18 earlier this year, joining Nordsjælland on a multi-year deal. Before that, she was linked to Chelsea, and will surely have caught the eye of the very best teams in the world with her performances in Morocco.
Adji Ndiaye - Senegal, 20, goalkeeper
Not many goalkeepers — whether experienced figures or newcomers — have covered themselves in glory so far at this WAFCON. Senegal’s Adji Ndiaye, however, hardly put a foot wrong in the two games she has played.
A total 13 saves and two clean sheets has made her the standout keeper at this tournament, especially after beginning the tournament as a substitute.
Standing at around 5’6”, Ndiaye is far from an imposing figure in goal. Her excellent positioning has shown that size isn’t everything for a goalkeeper in women’s football, which coupled with her explosiveness makes her highly effective at defending the top corners and commanding her box. On top of that, she has shown good reactions and is a good enough ball-player to boot, and her understanding of the angles comes naturally due to her unusual history.
Given just how well-rounded she already looks, it might be shocking to learn that Ndiaye played much of her youth football as a striker. She was leading the line and scoring for the under-20 national team less than three years ago, all while starting in between the sticks for the senior side.
Ndiaye is currently under contract with French club Bourges Foot 18, who are majority-owned by Senegalese superstar Sadio Mané and won promotion to the second tier last season. Top-tier clubs around the world may be put off by her size, but her performances at this tournament cannot be ignored.
Blessing Maluba - Zambia, 19, centre-back
A sub-standard defensive effort was to blame for the end of Zambia’s campaign at WAFCON 2024 (played in 2025 due to administrative decisions) in a five-goal thrashing at the hands of Nigeria.
Just a year on, though, the Copper Queens have turned things around to finish with the best defensive record in a group that also included the defending champions as well as Malawi, though even that was not enough for a knockout berth.
One of the keys to Zambia’s transformation was young centre-back Blessing Maluba, who impressed in various regards on the right side of their back four. She didn’t face much of a test against Egypt, but showcased an impressive range of passing and ball-playing ability against Nigeria.
There is definitely work to do on her defensive positioning, especially when playing in a high line, and she could be stronger in 1v1 duels. However, she held her own in a battle against Malawi’s Tabitha Chawinga.
Maluba currently plies her trade for Zambian side Nchanga Rangers, who have done well after being promoted to the top-flight a couple of seasons ago. At this rate, though, the teenage defender will surely be heading to a bigger club before long.
Ireen Khumalo - Malawi, 22, left-back
Ireen Khumalo will forever be a part of Malawian footballing folklore, as she provided a wonderful assist for Temwa Chawinga’s opener in their historic 3-2 win over Nigeria. Aside from that, she produced a well-rounded display as her forward passing down the line helped the team advance, and she showed discipline while defending deep.
Khumalo’s set-piece deliveries stood out in later games, while her ball-carrying and combination play in the attacking half were seen more clearly against Egypt when her side had more possession and territory. She had a tougher time defensively against Ghana’s Alice Kusi, but grew into the game well as her side ultimately emerged victorious.
Like many of Malawi’s younger stars, Khumalo is a product of the Ascent Soccer academy, which have already sent multiple standout players to Europe including Rose Kadzere (Montpellier) and Faith Chinzimu (BK Hacken)
On the whole, the Silver Strikers left-back looked solid and dependable, so is sure to be a valuable contributor to the Scorchers for years to come.
Honourable mentions
A list of emerging talents from the group stage would be incomplete without mentioning Kautar Azraf, the teenage Barcelona talent who took Moroccan legend Ghizlane Chebbak’s spot in the side for the first two games and looked at home on the international stage..
Ivorian midfielder Sery Grace Ruth, who plays alongside N’Sira Safi at Nordsjælland, also looks to be the real deal. She made headlines with a brilliantly taken brace against South Africa, but her excellent ball-playing in midfield might have piqued greater interest among scouts.
Twenty-three-year-old Marie Divine Ngah Manga scored all three of Cameroon’s goals in their first two games, thus setting them on course for the knockouts. The Fenerbahçe striker showed good forward movement, an ability to deal with contact from defenders and a nice touch in tight spaces to create openings and get shots off.
Among others, young forwards Adèle Kabré (Burkina Faso, 21), Farah El Mahdy (Egypt, 19) and Luriane Tavares (Cabo Verde, 19) have also caught the eye. While their campaigns have come to an end this time around, they certainly will be ones to watch in the future.
Stats from FotMob, Scoresway and Soccerdonna.
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