By Amaechi Agbo
Nigeria coach Justin Madugu and forward Asisat Oshoala has promised that the team is unwilling to follow the footsteps of the Super Eagles in qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Nigeria’s 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Cameroon on Sunday ended the Super Falcons’ defence of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title and, more significantly, cost them an opportunity to secure one of Africa’s four automatic places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
That loss leaves the 10-time African champions facing a more difficult route to the World Cup, starting with Thursday’s playoff game against South Africa.
It is a similar situation that the Super Eagles found themselves in after failing to win their qualifying group and qualify directly, but advancing as one of the four best runners-up to the Confederation of African Football playoff tournament in Morocco.
They ultimately failed to qualify, losing to Congo DRC in the final game of the Africa playoffs and did not make the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament.
Madugu said that experience of the men’s national team was very much on their minds: “We have a second chance and we will give it our all.
“We do not want to disappoint, and go the same way as the men. We’ll do our best to make sure we go through the playoffs.
“I quite understand the pains everyone is going through, we know what it means for all of us and country. I apologise and take responsibility for that.”
After missing out on direct qualification at the first opportunity, the Super Falcons now face their own playoff test. They are one of four losing quarterfinalists who will play two knockout playoff games, with the winners advancing to FIFA’s Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament for a chance to win one of three available tickets via that route.
Madugu’s position was supported by Oshoala, who said the Super Eagles’ failure had made it even more imperative for the Super Falcons to not leave Nigerians twice disappointed and called on fans to stay behind the players.
“The only thing I can say right now is we need their support. The World Cup ticket is at stake, so this is the time when we really need everyone to support the team,” she said.
“We already know the Super Eagles didn’t qualify so we know what is at stake and we know how Nigerians feel about this. We are sorry we lost this one, but the next game we will put in more effort and try to win the game.”
The situation is unfamiliar territory for a Nigeria team which has never missed a Women’s World Cup, or failed to make it to the last four of the WAFCON. They are one of only seven teams to have appeared at all nine editions since the inaugural tournament in 1991, a record that is now in peril and will now depend on navigating the playoff route.
Their predicament also comes at a time when the competitive landscape in African women’s football is changing rapidly. Nigeria entered WAFCON as defending champions and the continent’s most successful team, but their loss to Malawi, and then Cameroon suggests a changing landscape
Oshoala said the results were another warning that Nigeria could no longer expect to continue to depend on the strength of their historical dominance alone.
“Smaller nations are closing the gap for sure, but it’s also a wake-up call for us to put in effort knowing that there are other people who actually want to win this trophy. So we have to work harder now,” she said.
Banyana Banyana and the Super Falcons will face off in Casablanca on Thursday after their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-final exits, with one of the last two African champions set to see their 2027 World Cup qualifications hopes evaporate.
South Africa lost their quarter-final 2-1 to Morocco and Nigeria went down 1-0 to Cameroon – with the winners of those games automatically qualifying for the World Cup. Having fallen at that hurdle, Banyana and the Super Falcons are playing for only the faintest chance of qualification
The winner of this game will advance to the preliminary round of the Inter-Confederation playoffs, featuring six teams. Of those, the top two in a set of predetermined fixtures will advance to the final phase – joined by four more teams who will advance straight to this round following a bye for the first.
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