The Super Falcons have lost their automatic World Cup ticket after their 1-0 defeat to Cameroon at the WAFCON.
Glamtush reports that the Super Falcons have crashed out of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after losing 1-0 to rivals Cameroon in a quarter-final match on Sunday.
With that, Nigeria have lost out on an automatic ticket to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Myriam Nyadjou scored from a free kick to give Cameroon the surprise 1-0 quarter-final victory over Nigeria, the defending champions, in Casablanca on Sunday.
The 19-year-old struck after 19 minutes, slamming a rising shot past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and into the corner of the net.
It was the first goal of the tournament for Nyadjou, and it earned Cameroon a semi-final showdown on Wednesday against hosts Morocco in Rabat and a ticket to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Record 10-time WAFCON champions Nigeria pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages only to be constantly defied by acrobatic saves from Michaely Bihina.
The closest the Super Falcons came to equalising was in the third minute of added time when Esther Okoronkwo won a race for possession with Bihina, but her shot trickled wide of the far post.
Just before the miss, Nigeria introduced six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala, who was not sufficiently fit to start.
But the Saudi-based striker was unable to make an impact, and Cameroon comfortably survived the last few minutes for only their second victory over Nigeria in 14 WAFCON meetings.
As the Namibian referee signalled full-time, the Cameroon substitutes and coaches raced on to the pitch and hugged the Indomitable Lionesses.
The defeat means Nigeria will not automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil through the WAFCON route.
Only the four teams that reach the semi-finals of the African championship will secure direct qualification for the World Cup.
Nigeria, as one of the defeated quarter-finalists, will instead enter the African play-offs alongside the other three quarter-final losers.
The winner of that play-off route will have the opportunity to progress to the inter-confederation play-offs for another chance to secure a place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Therefore, while the Super Falcons’ World Cup hopes remain alive, they now face a more difficult route to Brazil.
The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup is scheduled to take place in Brazil.
If Nigeria fails to make the World Cup via the play-offs, that would be the first time for the Super Falcons since the inception of the tournament in 1991.
The Super Falcons reached the Round of 16 at the last World Cup in Australia, losing out on penalties to England. They also defeated Cameroon to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
