Nigeria miss World Cup after 2-1 defeat to South Africa as Ghana win play-off in Casablanca

Nigeria failed to qualify for the Fifa Women’s World Cup for the first time after losing 2-1 to South Africa in a play-off in Casablanca at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on 13 August 2026, while Ghana beat Ivory Coast 2-1 earlier the same day to join the path to inter-confederation qualification.

Nigeria entered the tournament as Africa’s top-ranked team and were among the favourites to retain the Wafcon title but were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Cameroon after a group-stage defeat to Malawi. With the four semi-finalists guaranteed World Cup berths, Justin Madugu’s side still had one final route: win their one-off tie in Casablanca to reach an inter-confederation qualifier.

Thembi Kgatlana and Refiloe Jane scored in the second half to put South Africa ahead, and Jane was later sent off after receiving a second yellow card for handling the ball inside her own six-yard box. Christy Ucheibe converted a penalty in the 93rd minute to make it 2-1, and South Africa goalkeeper Kaylin Swart produced a last-ditch save with her feet to deny Michelle Alozie near the end.

Kgatlana’s opener arrived in the 56th minute after Ronnel Donnelly played a long through ball from near the halfway line to set Hildah Magaia, whose left-wing cross was met by Kgatlana; her strike crossed the line despite Chiamaka Nnadozie getting a strong hand to it. Nnadozie later kept out another Kgatlana effort, and Swart made a one-handed diving save to palm away an Uchenna Kanu header.

Jane’s goal in the 77th minute came via a deflection off Ucheibe’s outstretched foot, and Magaia missed a chance soon after the restart. VAR intervened when Jane handled inside the box, leading to the stoppage-time penalty; the report states the captain “did not need to stretch out her arm,” with Swart well placed on the goalline to save.

With South Africa reduced to ten, Nigeria pressed and almost equalised in the 97th minute when Alozie’s cut-back was stopped by Swart’s left boot. South Africa celebrated the victory, but their place at the World Cup is not yet confirmed: they must first compete in a six-team league in November and December alongside Ghana, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei, Papua New Guinea and Ecuador, with the top two advancing to a final inter-continental qualifier in February where three teams will secure places in Brazil.

In Casablanca earlier, Ivory Coast took a fourth-minute lead after Bernadette Kakounan was clipped by Princess Marfo 44 seconds in and Ines Konan converted the subsequent penalty despite Ghana keeper Cynthia Konlan getting a hand to the ball. A potential Ghana equaliser was ruled out after referee Akhona Makalima judged Evelyn Badu had kicked the ball out of the Ivorian keeper’s hands before Stella Nyamekye’s finish.

Ghana levelled in the 59th minute when Princess Marfo headed in from a corner and took the lead in the 72nd minute as Josephine Bonsu converted a penalty following a VAR review for a handball by Aboa Yapo on Grace Asantewaa’s shot; Makalima consulted the pitch-side monitor before awarding the foul. The Black Queens’ squad had issued a statement about outstanding payments the day before, and Ghana’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation responded, with sports minister Kofi Adams disputing aspects of the allegations and a ministry official saying the squad’s win bonus from the group-stage victory over Cape Verde was being processed.

Nigeria have appeared at all nine Women’s World Cups since the inaugural tournament in 1991 and have won the Wafcon a record 10 times; South Africa and Ghana will now progress into Fifa’s inter-confederation qualifying pathway beginning with the scheduled six-team mini-league in November and December.