Falcons World Cup Fate Rests On South Africa Showdown
By Saheed Afolabi
The Nigeria women’s national team will have a chance to revive their 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup dream as they take on South Africa in the playoffs at Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco on Thursday, August 13 by 9pm indigenous time.
The Super Falcons have never missed out on qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup since its inception in 1991.
The Nigeria team is part of seven countries in the world alongside the United States, Germany, Norway, Brazil, Sweden, and Japan to have qualified for all nine editions of the World showpiece.
The qualification of the Falcons is now hanging on a needle thread following the team’s exit from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup Of Nations (WAFCON) at the quarter final stage against Cameroon.
South Africa are also targeting a place at the World Cup after Morocco eliminated them in the quarter final of the WAFCON.
The Bayana Bayana have been to two World Cups, the 2019 edition held in France and the 2023 edition that was hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Nigeria and South Africa have met 26 times with the Falcons taking the lead with 18 wins, four loses while Bayana Bayana have conceded 14 loses and four wins with four draws separating both sides.
The Falcons have however netted 51 goals against South Africa while conceding 18 times.
With the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup on the horizon, both sides will play their hearts out as they chase their last card on the Africa continent to have a final chance in the intercontinental playoffs.
