Rabat – Four continental contenders have officially booked their spots for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil following intense quarter-final action at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco from late July through August 16.
Morocco defeated South Africa 2-1 to seal a second consecutive tournament berth. Sakina Ouzraoui Diki and Hanane Ait El Haj found the net to send the Atlas Lionesses into the semi-finals on home soil.
Speaking in a post-match press conference, head coach Jorge Vilda attributed the World Cup qualification to systemic institutional support. “Qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil is the direct result of the women’s football development project led by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.”
He added that while reaching Brazil was the squad’s primary objective, their focus now shifts to recovery ahead of the semi-final stage in Rabat.
Algeria achieved a historic milestone by qualifying for their debut tournament appearance. The Fennecs mounted a fierce comeback against Ivory Coast to win 2-1, thanks to strikes from Ines Khiri and Amira Ould Braham.
According to CAF, Algeria’s comeback was driven by head coach Farid Benstiti’s decisive second-half adjustments. Recognizing the tactical advantage following a first-half red card for Côte d’Ivoire, Benstiti introduced key substitutes who transformed the attack and secured Algeria’s historic first-ever World Cup berth.
Cameroon pulled off the shock of the round by eliminating defending champion Nigeria in a tense 1-0 victory. Nineteen-year-old Myriam Nyadjou produced a stunning long-range strike to secure the Indomitable Lionesses’ ticket to Brazil.
“It is a sense of pride because today we are validating the qualification that we have so desired. We were dominated by Nigeria, but today we managed to turn the tide. That’s the job of the whole team, not just me. We are very happy and grateful for the support of Morocco and the warm welcome we received,” Cameroon’s goalkeeper Michaely Bihina explained. Malawi completed the quartet of qualified nations after surprising Ghana with a 2-1 victory. Goals from star forward Temwa Chawinga and Rose Kadzere delivered the Scorchers their first-ever ticket to the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
“First of all, I want to thank God, because without Him we would not have been able to achieve such a performance. But all the girls gave it their all, because we absolutely had to win this game. We wanted to qualify,” said Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga.
“We knew that if we won this match, we would be qualified for the World Cup. All the players want to go there. So I am very happy because we qualified for the World Cup. Personally, I am very satisfied with my performance. I’m happy that we won with my team. I can’t wait.”
Play-off route remains open
Despite their quarter-final exits, Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa can still reach the 2027 Women’s World Cup via the play-off route.
The four teams will meet in two knockout fixtures (Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana and Nigeria vs South Africa), with the two winners advancing to a 10-team intercontinental play-off tournament where three final spots in Brazil will be up for grabs.
