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Wafcon 2022: Everything you need to know about the Women's Africa Cup of Nations

Rasheedat Ajibade, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Grace Chanda and Ghizlane ChebbakImage source, Getty Images / Backpage Pix
Image caption,

Rasheedat Ajibade, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Grace Chanda and Ghizlane Chebbak are some of the star players to look out for

The spotlight in Europe may be on the Women's Euros taking place in England, but another massive women's football tournament is also taking place right now.

Back after four years the Women's Africa Cup of Nations is well underway, with the semi finals taking place on Monday 18 July.

We've got a handy guide to everything you need to know about the tournament.

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What is Wafcon 2022?

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Nigeria have won the past three Wafcon titles and are the record nine-time continental champions

Wafcon stands for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

The international women's football competition is usually held every two years, but last took place in 2018.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF), which represents the national football associations in the continent, runs the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) and the men's tournament the African Cup of Nations (Afcon)

And the competition has got bigger this year expanding from eight teams to 12.

Where is it being played?

Wafcon is taking place in Morocco in North Africa. The first game was on 2 July and the final takes place on 23 July.

Who is in the semi-finals?

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Morocco captain Chebbak has scored three goals at this year's Wafcon

Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria and host nation Morocco are all through to the semi finals on Monday 18 July.

It is the first time Morocco and Zambia have qualified for this stage.

And it gives them a ticket to another big tournament.

The four semi-finalists at this year's Wafcon have been given an automatic qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Meanwhile the four teams that lost the quarter-finals will compete for two places to enter the inter-continental playoffs for the World Cup which take place in February.

Who should you to look out for?

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South Africa's Jermaine Seoposenwe is one to watch

Some of the star players have either been knocked out of the tournament or suffered from injury but there's still plenty of exciting players to look out for.

South Africa got its place in the semi-final thanks to a 13th-minute strike from Jermaine Seoposenwe. The forward has scored in four Wafcon tournaments so will be one to watch when Banyana Banyana play Zambia on Monday.

Zambia captain Grace Chanda is one of their key players, she scored twice against Togo helping to get her team to the quarter finals.

The Moroccan team skipper Ghizlane Chebbak has led her team as both captain and goalscorer and was named best player of the group stage. She has scored three goals at this year's Wafcon and will be hoping to top that when Morocco face Nigeria in the semi-finals. Also look out for Tottenham player Rosella Ayane.

Nigeria have won 11 of the 13 previous editions of the Africa Cup of Nations so they are clearly the team to beat. Leicester City's Ashleigh Pumptre and Atletico Madrid forward Rasheedat Ajibade are two of the players to look out for.

Have you been watching any of Wafcon? Who are you supporting? Let us know in the comments!