The road to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil has reached a pivotal milestone, with four African teams securing their places at the global tournament after dramatic quarterfinal matches at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), hosted in Morocco.
This edition of Wafcon doubles as the African qualifying competition for next summer’s World Cup, with a straightforward rule: any side that advances to the tournament’s semi-finals automatically claims a spot at the 32-nation global showpiece. The four quarterfinal winners that earned their qualification this week brought no shortage of surprise, skill, and historic firsts to the table.
Algeria made history by booking its first-ever berth at the Women’s World Cup, pulling off a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over 10-player Ivory Coast. The match turned on its head when Ivorian player N’Sira Oudraogo was sent off while her side held a 1-0 lead. Algeria capitalized on the numerical advantage, with goals from Ines Khiri and Amira Ould Braham pushing the team across the line and into the Wafcon last four.
Morocco, which reached the 2023 Women’s World Cup knockout stage before falling to France, secured its second consecutive World Cup qualification with a 2-1 win over 2022 Wafcon champions South Africa. Sakina Ouzraoui Diki and Hanane Ait El Haj notched the goals that secured Morocco’s place in the semi-finals and World Cup.
Cameroon claimed its spot with a 1-0 upset over powerhouse Nigeria, settled by a stunning 30-yard free-kick from 19-year-old rising star Myriam Nyadjou that proved enough to separate the two sides. The biggest upset of the quarterfinal round came from Malawi, the world’s 153rd-ranked team, who fought back from a one-goal deficit to beat Ghana 2-1. Goals from Temwa Chawinga and Rose Kadzere sealed the historic result, booking Malawi’s first ever Women’s World Cup spot.
The Wafcon semi-finals are scheduled for Wednesday, with Morocco set to face Cameroon in the first matchup, followed by a clash between Algeria and Malawi. While the four quarterfinal losers — Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and South Africa — did not secure automatic qualification, they still have a path to the World Cup. On Thursday, Ivory Coast will face Ghana, and Nigeria will take on South Africa. The two winners of those matches will advance to the 10-team intercontinental play-off tournament scheduled for November and December, where three additional World Cup spots will be awarded.
The 2027 Women’s World Cup will run from June 24 to July 25 in Brazil. To date, 18 of the 32 participating nations have already secured their qualification. Beyond the four African qualifiers, the confirmed lineup includes Asian sides Australia, China, Japan, North Korea, the Philippines, and South Korea; European powerhouses Denmark, France, Germany, and Spain; Oceania’s New Zealand; and South American teams Argentina, host nation Brazil, and Colombia. Four home nations — England, the Republic of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland — are still in contention for World Cup spots through the European play-off round, which will run from October to December, requiring each side to win two two-legged ties to advance.