South Africa defeats Nigeria in WAFCON play-off, ending Super Falcons' World Cup hopes

Entering the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations as favorites, Nigeria's Super Falcons were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Cameroon and had already suffered a group-stage loss to Malawi. Their final chance to stay in contention came in a play-off against South Africa in Casablanca, where Thembi Kgatlana and Refiloe Jane each scored to deliver a 2-1 victory for Banyana Banyana. A 93rd-minute penalty by Christy Ucheibe added a dramatic flourish, while South Africa's goalkeeper Kaylin Swart made a crucial save on a last-minute strike from Michelle Alozie. The defeat ends Nigeria's streak of nine consecutive World Cup appearances, and the team now watches Ghana's progress in the inter-confederation qualifier, which also includes nations from Asia, Oceania and South America.