Nigeria 'still have hope' for 2027 World Cup spot

What the report says

Nigeria’s path to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup has narrowed after the Super Falcons failed to reach the semi-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. BBC Africa reports that Nigeria lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Sunday, which means Cameroon, Algeria, Malawi and hosts Morocco have already secured places at next year’s World Cup in Brazil by advancing to the last four of Wafcon.

Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie said the team must “go back to the drawing board” after missing out on automatic qualification, but added that Nigeria still have a chance to recover through the playoff route. Nigeria will face South Africa on Thursday for a place in an inter-confederation qualifying tournament later this year. That competition will offer a final route to the expanded 32-team World Cup, which begins on 24 June 2027.

The defeat was a setback for Nigeria, the defending Wafcon champions and one of Africa’s most experienced women’s teams. They have appeared at every Women’s World Cup since the inaugural 1991 edition, and had reached the quarter-finals in 1999 before making the last 16 in the two most recent tournaments. Cameroon’s win, sealed by a first-half free-kick from teenager Myriam Nyadjou, also ended Nigeria’s hopes of retaining their continental title.