Nigeria’s Super Falcons have been eliminated from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
The defending champions conceded early in the encounter after Myriam Maéva Nyadjou Wamen found the net in the 19th minute at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
Nigeria tried to respond before the break, creating pressure as the match progressed, but Cameroon held firm and went into the interval with their narrow advantage intact.
The Super Falcons resumed the second half with renewed efforts to level the score, but their attempts failed to produce the much-needed goal. Cameroon’s goalkeeper was also called into action and made an important save from close range to keep Nigeria at bay.
Despite their efforts, the Super Falcons could not find a breakthrough as the Indomitable Lionesses held on for the victory.
The result ends Nigeria’s hopes of defending their WAFCON crown and also prevents them from reaching the semi-finals of the tournament.
Nigeria’s quarter-final exit also means the team will not gain the automatic qualification spot for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, which goes to the four WAFCON semi-finalists.
The defeat is a setback for the Super Falcons, who had arrived at the tournament as champions and were hoping to extend their record of appearances at the Women’s World Cup to 10.
Nigeria had previously enjoyed the upper hand against Cameroon at the continental championship, including a 1-0 quarter-final victory over the Indomitable Lionesses in the 2022 edition.
Cameroon’s victory sends them into the semi-finals, where they will meet Morocco. The hosts secured their last-four ticket after beating South Africa 2-1 in their quarter-final.