- Nigeria must beat South Africa to stay alive
- The Super Falcons missed automatic World Cup qualification
- Nnadozie says Nigeria can still reach the tournament
Nigeria’s Super Falcons have been handed another opportunity to keep their 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup hopes alive after their disappointing exit from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the nine-time World Cup participants lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the WAFCON quarter-finals on Sunday, ending their hopes of securing automatic qualification through a place in the semi-finals.
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Despite the setback, Nigeria’s campaign for a place at next year’s global tournament is not over. The Super Falcons will face South Africa on Thursday at 20:00 GMT in a crucial play-off, with the winner advancing to an inter-confederation qualifying tournament.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has urged her teammates to put the Cameroon defeat behind them and focus on earning another route to the World Cup.
“This is football, this is life,” Nnadozie told the BBC World Service. “What happened happened, we just have to keep our heads high. There’s still hope — it’s not over yet.”
Nigeria have a proud record at the Women’s World Cup, having appeared at every edition since the tournament began in 1991. The Falcons reached the quarter-finals in 1999 and made it to the last 16 at the previous two editions.
That record is now at risk after Nigeria surrendered their chance to qualify directly by failing to reach the WAFCON semi-finals.
The challenge ahead is significant, with South Africa standing between Nigeria and another opportunity to reach the global tournament. The South Africans are the 2022 African champions and will be determined to secure their own route to the World Cup.
Nnadozie, however, believes Nigeria can respond strongly. She said coach Justin Madugu has encouraged the squad following the Cameroon defeat and that the players are determined to produce a better performance against South Africa.
The goalkeeper said the team intends to correct its mistakes, fight for victory and keep its World Cup dream alive.
Victory over South Africa would send Nigeria into the inter-confederation qualifying tournament, where two African teams will compete alongside sides from other confederations for the remaining World Cup places.
Ghana and Ivory Coast will contest the other African play-off, with the winner also advancing to the global qualification tournament.
The inter-confederation competition will begin with a preliminary phase in November and December before a final round in February determines the last three teams to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
For Nigeria, Thursday’s encounter is therefore more than another WAFCON fixture. It is the next step in the Super Falcons’ attempt to restore their place among the teams heading to the world’s biggest women’s football tournament.
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