A new champion will emerge at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after defending champions Nigeria and 2022 winners South Africa were eliminated in the quarter-finals, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Super Falcons, who have won 10 of the previous 13 editions of the competition, were dumped out by Cameroon on Sunday after Myriam Wam’s stunning 19th-minute free-kick proved the difference between the two sides.
It was Cameroon’s second victory over Nigeria in the competition.
A day earlier, hosts Morocco ended South Africa’s title defence with a 2-1 victory in Rabat, booking their place in the last four and securing a ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
South Africa won the 2022 edition before Nigeria reclaimed the title at the 2024 tournament, which was staged in 2025.
The only other previous winners, Equatorial Guinea, have failed to qualify for the tournament since 2018, leaving the competition without any former champion in the semi-finals.
Nigeria remain the most successful side in WAFCON history, having won a record 10 continental titles. The Falcons dominated the competition from its inception, lifting the first five editions between 1998 and 2006 before Equatorial Guinea interrupted their reign in 2008.
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Nigeria reclaimed the trophy in 2010 but surrendered it to Equatorial Guinea again in 2012.
The West Africans responded by winning three consecutive titles in 2014, 2016 and 2018 before South Africa emerged champions in 2022.
Nigeria reclaimed their continental crown at the 2024 WAFCON, staged in 2025, coming from behind to defeat hosts Morocco in the final and secure their record-extending 10th African title.
With Nigeria and South Africa out, hosts Morocco will now be among the favourites to win their first WAFCON title, while Algeria, Cameroon and either Ghana or Malawi remain in contention.
The four semi-finalists will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The four quarter-final losers, meanwhile, will enter a play-off tournament to determine Africa’s two representatives at the inter-confederation play-offs.
Nigeria will face South Africa on Thursday in Casablanca in a play-off for one of the remaining routes to the 2027 World Cup.
Abiodun, who reports Sports for PUNCH, covers different tiers of the Nigerian football league, the national teams, as well as cricket, in the last six years
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Source: The Punch
