As part of their preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Burkina Faso faced Fus de Rabat on 22 July. This friendly match, whilst ending in a 5–0 victory for the Etalons, highlighted areas for improvement for this young Burkina Faso side, which is only taking part in its second Africa Cup of Nations.
For their opening match of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on 27 July against Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso’s women’s national team is stepping up its technical and physical preparations in Morocco. Under the guidance of Pascal Sawadogo, the Lady Stallions are focusing on passing fluency, explosive transitions and overall physical conditioning in order to strengthen team cohesion and improve their collective understanding.
« We have seen committed players who are determined to fight. We are not going to ask too much of them. First of all, we want them to get through the group stage. After that, we will see what happens in the knockout matches, because those who progress are the ones who want it the most. »
Oumarou Sawadogo, President of the Football Federation – Burkina Faso
Despite a heavy 5–0 defeat to Morocco in February and a 3–3 draw against Senegal in April, Burkina Faso regained confidence with a convincing 5–0 victory over FUS Rabat on 22 July. Competing in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for only the second time, the Lady Stallions have made it clear that their primary objective is to progress beyond the group stage. These demanding warm-up fixtures have enabled the coaching staff to address the team’s collective weaknesses before the tournament officially gets underway.
« We are in the same group as Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania and South Africa. We have never faced Côte d’Ivoire in the qualifiers or at the Women’s AFCON, and the same goes for Tanzania. If these countries have qualified, it means they are strong teams. We are going back to work quickly to correct our shortcomings and avoid repeating the mistakes we made at the previous tournament. »
Charlotte Millogo, Captain of the Lady Stallions – Burkina Faso
Having missed the previous edition, the Lady Stallions are treating these friendly matches as full-scale tests to assess their true level. Captain Charlotte Millogo believes the team’s progress depends on securing a historic first victory in the competition. For a side whose best result to date remains a draw, that maiden win is seen as the crucial breakthrough needed to take the team to the next level.
