| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Nigeria |
| Dates | 7 – 20 December |
| Teams | 8 (from 1 confederation) |
| Venue | 2 (in 2 host cities) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | |
| Runners-up | |
| Third place | |
| Fourth place | |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 16 |
| Goals scored | 46 (2.88 per match) |
| Top scorers |
|
←2000 2004 → | |
The2002African Women's Championship was the 5th edition of the biennial Africanwomen's association football tournament organized by theConfederation of African Football. It took place inNigeria between 7 and 20 December 2002.
This edition of the tournament also doubled as the African qualification for the2003 FIFA Women's World Cup.Nigeria beatGhana 2–0 in the final to with their 5th title, although both were guaranteed qualification to that international tournament edition held in theUnited States.
On 24 January 2001, theBotswana Football Association announced the submission of a hosting bid, but it was neither considered nor came to fruition by CAF.[1]
CAF approachedNigeria at the2002 African Cup of Nations inMali for that tournament edition's hosting rights and got it on 19 March that year. Nigeria previously had the honor of hosting the tournament when it began full-scalein 1998.[2]
Nigeria qualified automatically as both hosts and defending champions,[3] while the remaining seven spots were determined by the qualifying rounds, which took place from August to October 2002.
Qualification ties were played on a home-and-awaytwo-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, theaway goals rule would be applied, and if still level, thepenalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (noextra time would be played).
The seven winners of the final round qualified for the final tournament.

Ethiopia andMali made their first appearances in the tournament.
| Team | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous tournament appearances[a] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosts and defending champions | 19 March 2002 | 4 (1991,1995,1998,2000) | |
| Winners againstDR Congo | 11 October 2002 | 1 (1995) | |
| Winners againstMorocco | 11 October 2002 | Debut | |
| Winners againstZambia | 12 October 2002 | 3 (1995,1998,2000) | |
| Winners againstGabon | 12 October 2002 | 3 (1991,1998,2000) | |
| Winners againstSenegal | 12 October 2002 | 4 (1991,1995,1998,2000) | |
| Winners againstUganda | 13 October 2002 | Debut | |
| Winners againstTanzania | 13 October 2002 | 1 (2000) |
The following referees were named for the tournament:
The eight teams were divided into two groups of four teams, where the top two teams in each group advanced to the semi-finals. The finalists of this edition of the tournament qualified for the2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in theUnited States.
The teams were ranked according to thethree points for a win standard.
If two or more teams in the group stage are tied on points tie-breakers are in order:
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 9 | Advance toknockout stage | |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 6 | ||
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 1[a] | ||
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 1[a] |
| Ethiopia | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Endegene-Leme | Konaté Samake |
| Nigeria | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sackey |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 7 | Advance toknockout stage | |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 2[a] | ||
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 2[a] |
| South Africa | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Phewa Carelse | Anounga |
| South Africa | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Monyepao | Ramos |
| Cameroon | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ngono Mani |
| South Africa | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Phewa | Talent |
In the knockout stage, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time,extra time is played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, bykicks from the penalty mark to determine the winner, except for the third place match where no extra time is played.
| Semi-finals | Final | |||||
| 17 December -Warri | ||||||
| 3 | ||||||
| 20 December -Warri | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 0 | ||||||
| 18 December -Warri | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 0 | ||||||
| 5 | ||||||
| Third place play-off | ||||||
| 20 December -Warri | ||||||
| 3 | ||||||
| 0 | ||||||
Winners qualified for the2003 FIFA Women's World Cup.
| South Africa | 0–5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Yusuf Chiejine Mbachu Nkwocha |
The match was held up for about 5 minutes after fans pelted a lineswoman withsachets of water afterAlberta Sackey had not been givenoffside (but missed the chance anyway).
| 2002 African Women's Championship |
|---|
Nigeria 5th title |

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 2 | +13 | 12 | |
| 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 12 | |
| 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 7 | |
| 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | –5 | 7 | |
| Eliminated in the group stage | |||||||||
| 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | –1 | 2 | |
| 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | –2 | 2 | |
| 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | –6 | 1 | |
| 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | –6 | 1 | |
The teams below qualified to represent Africa at the2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in theUnited States.
| Team | Qualified on | Previous tournament appearances[a] |
|---|---|---|
| 17 December 2002 | 1 (1999) | |
| 18 December 2002 | 3 (1991,1995,1999) |