Nigeria Qualify for 2026 Women’s AFCON After Beating Benin on Aggregate

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have booked their place at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after edging out Benin Republic 3–1 on aggregate.

The nine-time African champions settled for a 1–1 draw against the Amazons of Benin in the return leg played on Tuesday at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Having won the first leg 2–0 in Lome, Togo, the Falcons only needed to avoid defeat to seal qualification. Goals from Esther Okoronkwo and Chinwendu Ihezuo in that earlier encounter gave Nigeria the advantage heading into Tuesday’s clash.

Defender Ashleigh Plumptre opened the scoring for Nigeria in Abeokuta with a fine header off Okoronkwo’s corner kick. It was the Al-Ittihad star’s first goal for the Super Falcons since switching allegiance from England to Nigeria in 2017.

The Beninese side, however, pulled one back in the 61st minute through Yasmine Djibril, but it wasn’t enough to stop Justin Madugu’s girls from securing their passage to Morocco 2026.

Super Falcons remain Africa’s most successful women’s football team, having lifted the continental trophy a record ten times — in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018.

The next edition of the Women’s AFCON will take place in Morocco between March 17 and April 3, 2026.

The competition will also serve as the African qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Semi-finalists will automatically qualify, while two additional teams will fight for World Cup tickets through the intercontinental playoffs.

It could be recalled that the Super Falcons reached the Round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where they were narrowly eliminated by England on penalties after a goalless draw.