Cameroon Beats Nigeria to Seal 2027 Women’s World Cup Return

Cameroon will return to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027, eight years after its last appearance. The Indomitable Lionesses secured their place at the tournament in Brazil after reaching the semifinals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The qualification marks Cameroon’s third Women’s World Cup appearance. The Lionesses made their debut in Canada in 2015 and returned for the 2019 tournament in France.

The return to the global stage follows a more difficult period for the national team. Cameroon missed the 2024 WAFCON in Morocco, while its participation in the 2026 edition came under unusual circumstances. Initially left out of the tournament, the Lionesses eventually secured a place after the competition was expanded, based on their FIFA ranking.

That second chance has now delivered a World Cup berth. In the quarterfinals on Sunday, August 9, Cameroon eliminated defending champion and 10-time African champion Nigeria 1-0. Young Myriam Maéva Nyadjou scored the decisive goal from a direct free kick.

The victory sent Cameroon into the semifinals and secured its ticket to the 2027 World Cup. The result also restores Cameroon to a prominent position in African women’s football. The Lionesses have regularly reached the latter stages of WAFCON and finished third in 2018. Their current run carries particular significance after they missed the previous edition.

The tournament in Brazil will mark Cameroon’s third appearance on the world stage. The Lionesses reached the round of 16 on their World Cup debut in 2015 and repeated that performance four years later in France. After missing the following edition, they will return in 2027 with another opportunity to advance further.

The qualification also gives a new generation of Cameroonian players the chance to follow the teams that established the country on the international stage.

Before turning their attention to Brazil, however, the Lionesses still have a continental final to pursue. Cameroon will face host Morocco in the semifinals. After eliminating Nigeria, the team must overcome another major challenge to reach the WAFCON final.

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