Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses on Sunday for a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The high-profile quarter-final will take place at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca at 6pm Nigerian time, with the winners securing a semi-final berth and a place at next year’s World Cup. The losing side will have to go through the African play-off route for another chance to qualify.
The Falcons, 10-time African champions and defending WAFCON winners, had a difficult start to their title defence, losing 3-2 to tournament debutants Malawi in their opening Group C fixture.
They responded with a 1-0 victory over Zambia, with Asisat Oshoala scoring the decisive goal despite Nigeria playing more than 50 minutes with 10 players following Oluwatosin Demehin’s dismissal.
Nigeria then produced a commanding display in their final group match, defeating Egypt 6-2, with six different players getting on the scoresheet to secure second place in Group C.
Cameroon, meanwhile, topped Group D unbeaten after recording victories over Mali and Ghana before drawing 1-1 with debutants Cape Verde.
Marie Gisele Ngah Manga scored twice in Cameroon’s 2-1 opening win over Mali before converting from the penalty spot to secure a 1-0 victory against Ghana.
Sunday’s meeting will renew a rivalry that has produced several important encounters at the continental level.
The last competitive meeting between the two teams came in the 2022 WAFCON quarter-finals in Casablanca, where Rasheedat Ajibade’s 56th-minute goal sent Nigeria into the semi-finals.
Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu said qualification for the World Cup and retaining the African title remained the team’s priorities.
“Our objective remains picking the World Cup ticket and then going ahead to retain the trophy. Nothing has changed,” Madugu told reporters in Casablanca on Saturday.
“We know what it means, and we will be ready for it.”
Midfielder Jennifer Echegini acknowledged that Nigeria needed to improve defensively but said the team had used the group stage to address areas of concern.
She said the Falcons had worked on strengthening the midfield and improving their defensive organisation after conceding goals that were unusual for the team.
Nigeria, ranked first in Africa and 36th in the world, will enter the contest as the higher-ranked side, but Cameroon’s unbeaten group-stage campaign means the Lionesses will be confident of causing an upset.
Cameroon, runners-up in 2016, have not reached the WAFCON semi-finals since that tournament and missed the 2024 edition.
Sunday’s encounter therefore represents a significant opportunity for both sides, with a place in the last four and a ticket to the 2027 Women’s World Cup at stake.
