Nigeria's Super Falcons to miss FIFA Women's World Cup for first time since 1991

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will miss the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 1991. After 35 years of consecutive appearances, the ten-time African champions failed to secure qualification following their performance at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

Despite entering the tournament as defending champions, the team struggled with consistency. After an initial 3-2 loss to Malawi, Nigeria secured wins against Zambia and Egypt to reach the quarter-finals. However, a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon ended their title defense and eliminated their automatic qualification for the 2027 tournament. A final play-in opportunity against South Africa was also unsuccessful, marking the end of an era for one of the continent's most successful women's football programs.