When Malawi pulled off a win over Nigeria at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), the Super Falcons’ campaign seemed bound for a tragic end.

The defeat to the debutants sent shockwaves across the continent and ignited doubts back home. Yet, like a phoenix, the Nigerian team rallied to reset their course with a gritty 1-0 win over Zambia.

Nigeria then showed their title credentials, overpowering Egypt 6-2 in their last Group C game to advance to the quarter-finals of the 2026 WAFCON.

With three points from two games, Nigeria’s progression to the knockouts was hinged on getting a win against Egypt. Malawi were on six points, while Zambia was on three points. It meant that anything short of victory against the Cleopatras of Egypt would have sent Nigeria crashing out of the competition at that stage. They delivered, winning 2-6 against the North Africans.

After the three rounds of games, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia were level on six points, with head-to-head records deciding the final placings. Malawi, the lowest-ranked of the 16 qualifiers for the tournament, finished first and will face Ghana for a place in the semi-finals and a ticket to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Nigeria finished in second place in the group, and the Super Falcons were paired with neighbours Cameroon in a renewal of an old-time rivalry between two of African women’s football powerhouses.

Had Coach Justine Madugu’s team not qualified, Nigeria would have lost out on a chance to play at the World Cup, a tournament the Super Falcons have never missed since its inception in 1991. The 2026 WAFCON serves as the qualification tournament for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Four semi-finalists are guaranteed a place in the competition, while the quarter-finalists will fight for a chance to be on the plane to Brazil in a continental and intercontinental playoff.

The significance of that win against Egypt, which sealed the team’s qualification for the quarter-finals of the 2026 WAFCON, was not lost on the players.

Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who scored one of the goals against the Cleopatras of Egypt, credited the victory and qualification to team effort. The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward praised the resilience of the Super Falcons, who defied the pressure to advance to the knockouts.

“What a fight. We made it out of the group stage. This win was about ALL of us: every player who stepped on that pitch, everyone in the squad pushing us on, to our crew, technical team, staff, and every single fan back home believing with us,” Ajibade wrote on her social media handles after the WAFCON win. “That’s what collective effort looks like. We fight for each other. Quarter-finals, here we come. The mission continues. The Queens Are Here.”

Reflecting on the Super Falcons’ nerve-wracking group stage outing, Nigeria’s coach Justine Madugu expressed relief that the 10-time champions survived the test but admitted that losing their first match against Malawi put the team in a precarious state.

“Naturally, everyone will be happy, knowing fully well that you have advanced to the next stage of the competition,” Madugu said during his post-match press conference. “Given the circumstances where we found ourselves, and we placed everybody in a very tight corner, thank God that we have been able to come out of it. The competition will just be starting for us.”

Nigeria’s qualification for the quarter-finals drew praise from sports and football authorities in the country. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) hailed the team for responding with “character and quality” by reaching the last 8 of the tournament despite the early setback.

“SUPER FALCONS ARE THROUGH TO THE QUARTER-FINALS. The @NGSuper_Falcons responded with character and quality, defeating Egypt 6-2 to earn their place in the WAFCON quarterfinals. Congratulations to the team on an outstanding performance. Let’s keep flying,” the NSC wrote in a post on its X handle.

For NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, monitoring the results of the other Group C match (Malawi vs. Zambia) simultaneously with watching Nigeria’s outing against Egypt was an intense period.

“We were seated outside and were also in a more tense situation than you were because we were monitoring two matches… It got to a point that I couldn’t even stay and watch the match; I had to go back and hide myself somewhere, but we thank God,” Gusau said before announcing a bonus for the team. “For the National Sports Commission, they promised N10 million for each goal. That side, you have N60 million … This one is just the beginning, because the key thing is for us to qualify for the World Cup.”

The NFF chief noted that while qualification for the knockouts is commendable, there is a bigger task ahead for the Super Falcons.

“Reaching the quarter-finals is commendable, but the task ahead is even greater,” Gusau said. “We believe in this team’s ability to go all the way and also secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.”

Now that the group stage is over, the Super Falcons shift attention to the quarter-finals, where they take on long-time rivals Cameroon. The match carries deeper implications. With a semi-final spot and an automatic 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup ticket on the line, Madugu knows there is no margin for error in Sunday’s game.

“It’s a final because it’s the match that will determine whether we achieve our first objective or not,” the Adamawa-born coach said. “We know what the next game stands for, especially looking at the opposition—these are rivals. We know what it means to our people in Nigeria, so it’s not a game that we are going to take for granted by any means.”

As the curtains draw on the group stage of the 2026 WAFCON, there is no margin for error for the Super Falcons. Against the Indomitable Lionesses, it is victory or nothing. (Channels TV)