CAIRO (AP) — The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations was moved to the summer on Thursday less than two weeks before it was supposed to start in Morocco.
The tournament will now take place from July 25-Aug. 16, the Confederation of African Football announced on its website. It did not mention a change of host, nor did it confirm Morocco will stage the tournament again for what will be the third straight time.
The 16th tournament was supposed to be played in the kingdom from March 17-April 3 but reports persisted that Morocco wished to withdraw from hosting it and CAF said on Wednesday it would clarify the matter in the next days.
South Africa had offered to step in as host.
“After discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates … to ensure the success of this important women’s competition in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances,” CAF said on Thursday.
It did not specify the nature of the circumstances and the Associated Press has reached out for more details.
CAF said preparations for the tournament “are underway and all the parties are confident that it will be very successful.”
In a surprise decision last November, CAF expanded the tournament to 16 teams, giving reprieve to Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali and Egypt, whose teams initially failed to qualify.
Morocco, Algeria, Senegal and Kenya were drawn in Group A in Rabat, where Group B involving South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania was also to be played.
Group C involving defending champion Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt and Malawi was in Casablanca, while Group D with Ghana, Cameroon, Mali and Cape Verde was in Fez.
The date change comes after CAF president Patrice Motsepe ruled it out on Feb. 13 because the tournament also doubles as a qualifying event for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The four semifinalists qualify directly, and teams that lose in the quarterfinals were to get another chance through playoffs involving nations from other continents.
The last edition, won by Nigeria 3-2 over Morocco in the final, was also delayed because of scheduling problems in 2024. It was eventually played in 2025.
Morocco is also a co-host for the men’s World Cup in 2030.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Nigeria's captain Rasheedat Ajibade, center, holds the Women's African Cup of Nations trophy upon arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport in Abuja Nigeria, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Olamikan Gbemiga, File)
FILE - Nigeria'a goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, upon arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja Nigeria, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Olamikan Gbemiga, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Most stocks are falling on Wall Street Thursday, as oil prices rise further, but the moves are less severe than earlier in the week.
The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% in morning trading, coming off a frenetic start to the week that saw financial markets worldwide swerve sharply, sometimes hour by hour. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 452 points, or 0.9%, as of 10:15 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% higher.
Markets again seem to be following the cue of oil prices. Worries are high that a long-term spike because of the war with Iran could exhaust households’ ability to spend, as well as grind down the global economy and push interest rates higher.
A barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 2.9% to $83.74. That’s up from close to $70 late last week. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude climbed 4.6% to $78.15.
Oil prices rose after Iran launched a new wave of attacks against Israel, American bases and countries around the region. The war's escalations are raising worries about how long disruptions could last for the production and transport of oil and natural gas in the region.
Prices at U.S. gasoline pumps have already jumped because of it. The average price for a gallon is $3.25, up 9% from $2.98 a week ago, according to auto club AAA.
To be sure, the U.S. stock market has a history of bouncing back relatively quickly following conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. That has many professional investors suggesting patience and riding through the market’s swings.
“While further escalation remains a risk, we think the more likely outcome is an increase in market risk aversion that likely lasts only a short time until investors can see a winding down of hostilities,” according to Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
But if oil prices spike, like to $100 per barrel, and stay there, it could be too much for the global economy to stomach. Uncertainty about that has caused this week’s sharp swings, and much will depend on what happens with the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails through the narrow waterway off Iran's coast.
Stocks of retail chains fell to some of the U.S. market's worst losses on Thursday. High gasoline prices mean their customers would have less to spend on other things.
American Eagle Outfitters fell 12.4% even though it reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
Airlines also took sharp losses. Higher oil prices are increasing their already big fuel bills, while the war has also left passengers stranded across the Middle East.
American Airlines lost 4.4%, United Airlines fell 4.8% and Delta Air Lines sank 4.5%.
Wall Street's losses would have been worse if not for Broadcom. The chip company’s stock rose 4.8% after it reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
It’s one of Wall Street’s most influential stocks because it’s one of the biggest by total value, and CEO Hock Tan said it benefited from a 74% jump in revenue for AI chips.
In the bond market, Treasury yields jumped as rising oil prices put more upward pressure on inflation, which could keep the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.12% from 4.09% late Wednesday and from just 3.97% before the war with Iran started.
The Fed could keep interest rates high to keep a lid on inflation. But high interest rates would also keep it more expensive for U.S. households and companies to borrow money, grinding down on the economy.
The central bank had indicated it planned to resume its cuts to interest rates later this year, in hopes of giving a boost to the job market and economy. Because of the war and higher oil prices, traders have pushed their forecasts further into the summer for when the Fed could begin cutting rates again.
Several reports on the U.S. economy also came in mixed.
One said fewer U.S. workers filed for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected. That's an encouraging signal for the job market.
A second report said productivity for U.S. workers slowed sharply at the end of last year. That could be a discouraging sign for the economy because high productivity allows wages to rise for workers without putting upward pressure on inflation. But economists said last quarter's numbers were affected by the U.S. government shutdown.
In stock markets abroad, indexes rebounded in Asia following historic losses a day before. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 9.6% to recover much of its 12.1% plunge from Wednesday, which was its worst loss ever.
But indexes fell in Europe as oil prices began to accelerate. France’s CAC 40 fell 0.4%, and Germany’s DAX lost 0.4%.
AP Writers Kim Tong-hyung and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
John Bishop works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Currency traders watch monitors near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters, in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Ed Nangle works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Financial information is displayed on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
