Hosts Morocco and Algeria both booked their places at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil on Saturday, after quarter-final wins at the Women's A
Hosts Morocco and Algeria both booked their places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil on Saturday, after quarter-final wins at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) that also sent them through to the tournament’s last four.
Morocco built an early two-goal lead and then held on for a 2-1 win over South Africa in Rabat, while Algeria fought back from behind to beat Ivory Coast by the same scoreline in Casablanca.
Under the expanded format, all four WAFCON semi-finalists earn automatic qualification for the global tournament, which runs from 25 June to 26 July next year.
For Algeria, the victory was historic on two fronts: second-half goals from Ines Khiri and Amira Ould Braham overturned an early Côte d’Ivoire lead given by Ines Konan, sending the Fennecs into a WAFCON semi-final for the first time and securing the country’s first-ever appearance at a Women’s World Cup.
The Ivorians were reduced to ten players in the 41st minute when Safi Ouédraogo was sent off, and they also missed a second-half penalty when Rebecca Elloh struck the post with the score level at 1-1.
Morocco’s win was more comfortable, with Sakina Ouzraoui opening the scoring in the 31st minute before Hanane Ait El Haj converted a penalty to make it 2-0, and South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana pulling one back but unable to force an equaliser.
Algeria will face the winner of Malawi vs Ghana in the semi-final on August 12 at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, while Morocco takes on the winner of the Cameroon-Nigeria tie in a match set for Monday.
The four losing quarter-finalists, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa and the two teams eliminated in the remaining ties will contest an African play-off, with the two winners advancing to FIFA’s inter-confederation play-offs for one last shot at reaching Brazil 2027.
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