Nigeria’s Super Falcons have booked their place in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after securing a 3–1 aggregate victory over the Benin Republic.
The second leg of the qualifier, played on Tuesday at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State, ended in a 1–1 draw between the two sides.
This followed Nigeria’s 2–0 triumph in the first leg in Lomé, Togo, with goals from Esther Okoronkwo and Chinwendu Ihezuo.
Defender Ashleigh Plumptre opened the scoring for the Super Falcons with a header from an Okoronkwo corner, marking her first goal since switching allegiance from England to Nigeria in 2017.
Yasmine Djibril equalised for Benin in the 61st minute, but the visitors could not overturn the deficit.
Coach Justin Madugu’s side maintained their composure to seal qualification, adding to Nigeria’s impressive record as defending WAFCON champions, having won the tournament a record ten times.
The Super Falcons’ previous titles came in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018.
Next year’s WAFCON, scheduled for March 17 to April 3 in Morocco, will also serve as a qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Semi-finalists at WAFCON automatically earn a World Cup berth, while two additional teams will join via intercontinental playoffs.
The Super Falcons participated in all editions of the Women’s World Cup, reaching the Round of 16 in 2023 before being eliminated by eventual finalists England on penalties.
With this victory, Nigeria continues to cement its status as the powerhouse of African women’s football, demonstrating consistency and dominance on the continental stage.
