Cameroon have knocked defending champions Nigeria out of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a 1-0 quarter-final victory.
Myriam Nyadjou scored the decisive first-half goal as Cameroon secured a place in the semi-finals and, with it, direct qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Defending champions eliminated
Nigeria entered the tournament as one of the strongest teams in African women’s football and as defending champions, but Cameroon’s disciplined performance denied the Super Falcons a route into the last four.
The result is one of the biggest shocks of the knockout stage and changes the shape of the tournament by removing a team with a long record of continental success.
Cameroon protected their lead after Nyadjou’s goal and managed the second half effectively as Nigeria pushed for an equaliser.
Cameroon secure World Cup qualification
By reaching the semi-finals, Cameroon have also secured direct qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The four WAFCON semi-finalists qualify automatically for the tournament in Brazil.
The qualification restores Cameroon to the global stage and gives the team another opportunity to build on its established presence in African women’s football.
Nigeria now face a longer route
Nigeria’s elimination does not necessarily end their World Cup hopes, but it means the Super Falcons must now navigate the tournament’s remaining qualification pathway rather than progressing automatically through the semi-finals.
For a team accustomed to competing for WAFCON titles, the quarter-final exit will prompt questions about execution in knockout football and how Nigeria responds before the next phase of World Cup qualification.
Cameroon, meanwhile, can turn their attention to the semi-final with both continental honours and a confirmed World Cup place already secured.
Sources
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