Nigeria's Super Falcons have crashed out of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after losing 1-0 to Cameroon in a quarter-final match on Sunday.
With the defeat, Nigeria has lost its chance at an automatic ticket to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Myriam Nyadjou scored from a thunderous free-kick to give Cameroon the surprise victory over Nigeria, the defending champions, at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
The 19-year-old struck in the 19th minute, sending a rising shot past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and into the corner of the net.
It was Nyadjou’s first goal of the tournament, and it earned Cameroon a semi-final meeting on Wednesday against hosts Morocco in Rabat, along with a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Record 10-time WAFCON champions Nigeria pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages but were repeatedly denied by acrobatic saves from Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina.
The closest the Super Falcons came was in the third minute of stoppage time, when Esther Okoronkwo beat Bihina to the ball, but her shot trickled wide of the far post.
Just before that chance, Nigeria introduced six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala, who had not been sufficiently fit to start, but the Saudi-based striker was unable to make an impact.
Nigeria Faces South Africa In Play-Off As World Cup Hopes Continue
Cameroon comfortably saw out the closing minutes for only their second victory over Nigeria in 14 WAFCON meetings, with their substitutes and coaches racing onto the pitch to celebrate at full-time.
The result means Nigeria will not defend the title it won at the last WAFCON, an African championship first held in 1998, and marks the Super Falcons’ worst-ever performance at the tournament.
Should Nigeria fail to reach the World Cup through the play-off route that follows, it would be the first time the Super Falcons have missed the tournament since its inception in 1991.
The Super Falcons reached the Round of 16 at the last World Cup in Australia, losing on penalties to England, and defeated Cameroon to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Nigeria joins three other losing quarter-finalists, South Africa, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, in the continental play-offs, and will face South Africa’s Banyana Banyana on Thursday, August 13, in Casablanca, with victory securing one of two continental play-off tickets.
The two qualifying teams from those play-offs will advance to a global play-off tournament for the final remaining World Cup spots.
According to FIFA, the first phase of that global tournament will run in November and December 2026 at a centralised venue featuring six teams, two each from Africa and Asia, and one each from South America and Oceania, with two advancing to a final phase in February 2027 alongside two Concacaf teams and one each from South America and Europe.
Of all the teams competing across both phases, only three will secure the final World Cup spots, meaning the Super Falcons have no room for error if they are to reach Brazil.
Since the tournament’s inception in 1991, the Super Falcons have qualified for every edition of the Women’s World Cup, including a Round of 16 exit to eventual finalists England on penalties in 2023.
