Six stars to watch at Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2024

Could Mali's Aissata Traore, Zambia's Barbra Banda, Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala or Morocco's Sanaa Mssoudy be the next Wafcon golden boot winner?

The delayed 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) starts in Morocco on 5 July.

The host nation, who were runners-up at the last edition, kick off the tournament when they face a Zambia side featuring reigning African Women's Footballer of the Year Barbra Banda.

South Africa are back to defend their title while record nine-time champions Nigeria will be aiming to reclaim the trophy they last lifted in 2018.

As prolific newcomers and returning greats head to North Africa, BBC Sport Africa profiles six of the players to watch as some of the continent's best players prepare to go for glory.

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)

Oshoala helped Nigeria reach the last 16 of the 2023 Women's World Cup and is now targeting her fourth Wafcon title

playing for Bay FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the 30-year-old brings a wealth of experience and a winning mentality to what will be her sixth Wafcon finals, having suffered the frustration of being ruled out with a knee injury sustained during her side's opener in 2022.

The six-time African Women's Footballer of the Year helped the Super Falcons to the title in 2014, 2016 and 2018 and has lifted the Uefa Champions League twice with Barcelona since then.

While Oshoala has not been as prolific in front of goal since her move to the United States, she still exudes a superstar aura and is likely to be key in determining whether Nigeria can reclaim the Wafcon crown.

Clara Luvanga (Tanzania)

Clara Luvanga scored two hat-tricks for Al-Nassr on their way to the Saudi title in 2024-25 and will now spearhead a Tanzania side who are the lowest-ranked team in their group

A two-time Saudi title winner with Al-Nassr, Luvanga is thinking big, telling BBC Sport last year that she wants to become the best player on the continent.

The 20-year-old striker certainly has the opportunity to learn from the very best, with five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane part of her club's men's side.

Luvanga netted 19 league times last season, putting her fourth in the Saudi Pro League charts, and goals in Tanzania's Wafcon warm-up matches proves she has the poacher's eye to go with her pace and power.

Defenders will know about Luvanga's ability to run in behind, but can they stop her?

Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco)

Known for her vision on the ball and leadership as well as her goals, Mssoudy helped club side AS FAR to an unbeaten side in the Moroccan top flight last season

The forward's form in 2024 saw her named the most valuable player in the African Women's Champions League and pick up the award for the best inter-club player in Africa.

The 25-year-old was also named best player in the Moroccan top flight last season, playing an instrumental role in AS FAR's 12th domestic title win.

Mssoudy scored in the last eight and semi-finals at the last Wafcon on home soil.

With her trickery on the ball, could she provide the inspiration as Morocco look to triumph for the first time?

Jermaine Seoposenwe (South Africa)

South Africa's Jermaine Seoposenwe plies her club trade in Mexico for Monterrey

South Africa will be looking to the highly-experienced Seoposenwe for goals - especially after Thembi Kgatlana, the golden boot winner at the 2018 Wafcon, pulled out of the squad for personal reasons.

Like Kgatlana, Cape Town-born Seoposenwe now plays her football in Mexico.

The 31-year-old Monterrey forward will be one of the senior figures for Banyana Banyana, having made her debut against Zimbabwe back in 2010.

With more than 100 caps to her name, Seoposenwe has announced that she will retire from international football after Wafcon. She will have to find the back of the net regularly at her sixth finals if South Africa hope to defend their title.

Aissata Traore (Mali)

Traore netted four times in qualifying as the West Africans breezed past Central African Republic and Guinea to return to the finals for the first time since 2018.

The 27-year-old was the joint-top scorer for Fleury 91 in France's Premiere Ligue in 2024-25, with nine goals as the club finished just outside the European qualification places.

Part of the Mali squad who finished fourth on their most recent Wafcon appearance in 2018, Traore forms a potent strike partnership with Paris St-Germain's Agueicha Diarra.

Both will hope to repeat the rich vein of scoring form they enjoyed in qualifying.

Barbra Banda (Zambia)

Zambia hotshot Banda has scored eight goals in 13 NWSL outings for Orlando Pride this season

Banda is, quite simply, a goal machine.

With 10 strikes spread across the Tokyo and Paris Games, she is Africa's all-time leading scorer - male or female - in Olympic football

The reigning BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, she grabbed the crucial goal to give the Orlando Pride a 1-0 victory in the NWSL championship final last season.

However, the 25-year-old striker is yet to score at Wafcon, having missed the 2022 finals amid confusion over 'gender eligibility' rules, with the situation later resolved.

Banda is second-most expensive African female footballer in history - behind Zambia team-mate Racheal Kundananji - after joining the Pride from Chinese club Shanghai Shengli for $740,000 (£581,000) in March 2024.