2026 WAFCON Qualifiers: Benin Awaits As Super Falcons Gear Up For Title Defense

Super Falcons of Nigeria are set to face Benin Republic in the 2026 Women Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers which is scheduled to take place between  20th– 28th October for both legs respectively.

The defending champions will be hosted by Benin Republic in the first leg before Super Falcons play host in the return leg.

Led by Justine Madugu, Super Falcons of Nigeria secured an historic 10th WAFCON championship after an incredible 3-2 victory against host Morocco.

Ten-time champions. Undisputed. Unshaken.#MissionX #SoarSuperFalcons #WAFCON2024 pic.twitter.com/tyZgSFkAC4

— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 26, 2025

To reach the final round of the qualification series, Benin Republic defeated Sierra Leone’s senior women’s team 5-2 on aggregate, winning 2-1 in Togo and 3-1 in Monrovia, as both teams had to play their home matches on away ground due to absence of any CAF-approved match venue in both countries.

The final phase of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers will see the winners of 11 decisive fixtures secure their places alongside host nation Morocco for the tournament scheduled in March 2026.

From this continental showdown, the four teams that reach the semi-finals will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

In addition to these four direct slots, Africa will also have two more opportunities to qualify through an intercontinental play-off tournament, similar to the process used ahead of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The 2027 World Cup, set to take place from June 24 to July 25, will feature 32 national teams.

Looking ahead, FIFA has announced an expansion of the tournament format: beginning with the 2031 edition, which will be co-hosted by Mexico and the United States, the Women’s World Cup will include 48 teams, reflecting the sport’s continued global growth.