Cameroon’s newly crowned African champions received a spectacular welcome in Yaoundé on Monday, August 17, after returning home from Morocco following their 3-0 victory over Malawi in the final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Thousands of supporters gathered at Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport to celebrate the Indomitable Lionesses, who secured Cameroon’s first-ever WAFCON title.
A triumphant return to Yaoundé
The celebrations began as soon as the team’s aircraft landed. Two fire trucks performed the traditional water salute on the tarmac before each player was presented with a rose as the national anthem played.
The emotion was palpable among the players.
“The joy is immense! We are overwhelmed by the welcome and the support from the public,” forward Rose Bella said.
Midfielder Toko Njoya was equally moved by the reception.
“I am very happy to see this welcome. It is truly wonderful! Seeing so many Cameroonians shows that we are supported, perhaps not always closely, but certainly from afar.”
Getting out of the airport proved difficult as a huge crowd surrounded the players. Supporters, families and ordinary citizens had waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the trophy and celebrate the historic achievement.
Thousands line the streets
After a short ceremony at the airport, the Lionesses embarked on a victory parade through the capital.
Thousands of Cameroonians lined the streets to cheer the players, with the convoy repeatedly forced to slow down or stop as supporters flooded the roads.
At the Mvan neighbourhood, hundreds of fans even blocked the road while singing and dancing in celebration.
Captain Aboudi Onguéné carried the trophy in the first open-top military vehicle, while goalkeeper Mikaely Bihina, one of the heroes of Cameroon’s remarkable campaign, followed behind.
The celebrations grew as the convoy moved through Yaoundé before eventually reaching a hotel near the presidential palace, where the team was due to stay.
From underdogs to African champions
Cameroon’s triumph is particularly significant because the team entered the tournament after being brought back into the competition as a replacement team.
The Lionesses ultimately went all the way, overcoming the disappointment of three previous final defeats.
“To have been brought back into the competition and ultimately become champions, to win our first WAFCON under such circumstances… only God knows how difficult it was after three finals, after the disappointment of 2016 here at home. I think it is extraordinary,” said one of the players.
The historic title has triggered celebrations well beyond the football community.
“Zero humility” becomes Cameroon’s new slogan
The Lionesses’ success has also inspired a wave of celebrations among Cameroonian artists and social media influencers.
A new phrase — “zero humility” — has gone viral on social media, with many supporters using it to celebrate the team’s dominance and, in some cases, to tease the country’s men’s national team.
For comedian Edoudoua Non Glacé, Cameroon now has every reason to celebrate its continental triumph with confidence.
“The trophy is already here. Zero humility now,” he said, joking that other African countries should come to Cameroon to learn how to win the continental title.
Influencer Laure Moa Minga also embraced the slogan, but used it mainly to challenge the country’s male footballers.
She argued that the women’s team had focused on football rather than internal rivalries and leadership disputes.
“For us women, what mattered was playing football. We played football and came back with the trophy.”
The celebrations have therefore become more than a homecoming. They have turned into a moment of national pride and a renewed debate about the contrasting fortunes of Cameroon’s men’s and women’s teams.
For the Lionesses, however, the message is simple: after years of waiting and several painful final defeats, Cameroon finally has its first women’s African championship trophy.
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