Nigeria’s Super Falcons have failed to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup after suffering a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in their continental playoff on Thursday at the Stade Moulay Rachid in Casablanca, Morocco.

The result ends Nigeria’s participation in the qualification race and means the country will miss the Women’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament was introduced in 1991.

The Falcons were forced into the playoff route after losing 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarter-final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Only the four semi-finalists secured Africa’s automatic World Cup tickets.

The four quarter-final losers were subsequently handed another opportunity to qualify through the inter-confederational playoff route, which offered three additional World Cup places.

Nigeria, however, could not take advantage of the second chance after being drawn against Banyana Banyana for a place in the inter-confederational playoffs.

South Africa took control early in the second half, with Thembi Kgatlana and Refiloe Jane scoring to put Banyana Banyana two goals ahead.

Christy Ucheibe reduced the deficit late in the game, but the Falcons could not find the equaliser needed to force the encounter into extra time.

The victory sends Banyana Banyana into the first phase of the inter-confederational playoffs for the World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Brazil in June next year.

For Nigeria, the defeat brings an end to the Falcons’ remarkable record of appearing at every edition of the Women’s World Cup since its inception.