CASABLANCA, Morocco – Nigeria’s Super Falcons will miss the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in the tournament’s history after losing 2-1 to South Africa in a play-off at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Morocco on Thursday.
The defeat ended Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the intercontinental play-offs, where the winners of the two African play-off matches would have earned another route to the World Cup.
The Super Falcons and Banyana Banyana met in Casablanca after both teams failed to secure automatic World Cup qualification at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the WAFCON quarter-finals, while South Africa were beaten 2-1 by hosts Morocco at the same stage.
The results meant both teams had to contest the playoff, with the loser set to be eliminated from the World Cup race and the winner advancing to the preliminary round of the inter-confederation playoffs.
On Thursday, South Africa took the lead in the 56th minute through Thembi Kgatlana before Refiloe Jane doubled the advantage in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pulled one back through Christy Ucheibe in the third minute of stoppage time after South Africa were reduced to 10 players following a red card for a handball in the penalty area.
Ucheibe converted the resulting penalty to give Nigeria late hope, but the Falcons could not find an equaliser before the final whistle.
Nigeria had chances to break the deadlock earlier, with Michelle Alozie shooting narrowly wide in the first half and Uchenna Kanu seeing her header saved after the interval.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie also made a crucial save in the 60th minute to prevent South Africa from extending their lead before the hosts eventually scored their second goal.
The result means Nigeria’s record of appearing at every edition of the Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1991 has come to an end.
Nigeria had previously been the only African team to feature at every edition.
South Africa, meanwhile, secured a place in the intercontinental play-offs, keeping alive their hopes of reaching the 2027 tournament in Brazil.
Earlier on Thursday, Ghana secured the other African play-off ticket after defeating Côte d’Ivoire 2-1.
The two winners of the African play-off matches will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs for the 2027 World Cup.
Punch
