Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses Receive Heroic Welcome After Historic WAFCON Triumph

Cameroon erupted in celebration as the Indomitable Lionesses returned home after securing their historic first WAFCON crown.

Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses returned home to a rousing reception in Yaoundé after making history by winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.

Thousands of supporters gathered at Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport and lined the streets of the capital on Monday, August 17, to celebrate the team’s return from Morocco.

The players arrived with the WAFCON trophy before joining a victory parade through the city, where fans waved flags, sang and cheered as the champions passed by.

The celebrations followed Cameroon’s commanding 3-0 victory over Malawi in Sunday’s final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

Marie Ngah was the star of the match, scoring twice, while Naomi Ndjoah Eto added the other goal as Cameroon built an unassailable lead before half-time.

The triumph ended years of continental heartbreak for the Indomitable Lionesses, who had previously lost three WAFCON finals, in 2004, 2014 and 2016.

Their 2026 victory also made Cameroon only the fourth nation to lift the trophy, after Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.

Related: CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad Hit With 5 Years Ban By FIFA

Cameroon’s route to the title was remarkable. The team had initially failed to qualify for the tournament after losing to Algeria in the qualifying round, but was later admitted following the expansion of the competition from 12 to 16 teams.

Once given a second chance, the Lionesses made it count. They advanced from the group stage before eliminating defending champions Nigeria 1-0 in the quarter-finals.

They then defeated hosts Morocco 3-1 on penalties after a goalless semi-final before overpowering Malawi in the final.

The victory also completed a remarkable knockout run in which Cameroon did not concede a single goal against Nigeria, Morocco or Malawi.

The homecoming reflected the scale of the achievement. Supporters crowded the airport and roads across Yaoundé as the players proudly displayed the trophy from their convoy.

For many fans, the victory was also seen as an important moment for women’s football in Cameroon.

The newly crowned African champions will now turn their attention to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, where they will represent the continent after securing qualification through their run to the WAFCON semi-finals.