WAFCON 2026’s group stage reached completion on Thursday. Up next is the most important round in the whole tournament, the Quarter Finals. The four teams that win their way into the Semi Finals will earn one of CAF automatic spots in next years World Cup. The four losing teams will go into to a playin round to determine which two teams will go to the intercontinental playoff. Of the five teams featuring Spirit players, four earned places in the knockout stage. However, because of the final standings in each group, only two nations featuring a Spirit player can earn their way in through WAFCON the four teams were slotted into just two games. As a result, the best possible outcome is two teams qualify directly for the World Cup and the other two earn spots in the intercontinental playoff. Who’s left and who do they face? let’s take a look.

Deb Abiodun and Gift Monday (Nigeria)

Nigeria’s title defense looked to be in danger after their first match. Facing a Malawi team making their WAFCON debut, the Super Falcons played The Scorchers to a scoreless first half. In the second half, two time reigning NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga broke the tie with Malawi’s first ever WAFCON goal. Tabitha Chawinga doubled the lead just six minutes later. The Super Falcons attempted to fight their way back into the match. Rasheedat Ajibade converted in second half stoppage time from the spot to cut Malawi’s lead in half. Just three minutes later Temwa Chawinga responded for Malawi extending the lead to 3-1. Uchenna Kanu scored for the Super Falcons nine minutes into second half stoppage time to bring Nigeria back within a goal. That would be as close as Nigeria came to equalizing the match. Nigeria’s path through the group stage didn’t get any easier with their second match against Zambia and NWSL Golden Boot leader Barbra Banda. Asisat Oshoala scored for the Super Falcon’s eighth minutes after kickoff. That goal proved to be all that was needed as Nigeria held the Copper Queens scoreless. Facing Egypt in the final group stage match, six different scorers found the back of the net in their 6-2 rout. When group play finished, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia all finished tied at the top with two wins and three points. Nigeria, along with Malawi, advanced to the knockout stage based up head to head goal totals.

Deb Abiodun appeared in all three group stage games, making a cameo appearance seven minutes in stoppage time against Malawi, playing 68 minutes against Zambia, and playing the full match against Egypt. Gift Monday was on the bench, but didn’t feature against Malawi and Zambia. Against Egypt, she subbed in for Asisat Oshoala in the 41st minute, in what Super Falcons manager Justine Madugu described as a “tactical substitution”. Just a few minutes after entering, Monday found the back of the net for the first time in this WAFCON.

Rose Kouassi (Ivory Coast)

Facing Burkina Faso in their opening match, Rebecca Elloh converted a penalty 7 minutes into the match to give Ivory Coast the lead. Strasbourg’s Inès Konan scored a brace extend Ivory Coast’s lead to 3-0 before the half. N’Sira Ouedraogo scored in the second half to make it 4-0. In their second match, Les Éléphantes took on a South African side who were upset by Tanzania in their previous match. Ivory Coast raced out to a 2-0 after Grâce Sery scored a first half brace. The second half was not as fortuitous for Les Éléphantes. Banyana Banyana scored two unanswered goals including the equalizer deep into second half stoppage time to force a draw. Inès Konan and N’Sira Ouedraogo both scored their second goal of the tournament to lead Ivory Coast to a 2-1 victory over Tanzania.

Rose Kouassi played the full 90 minutes in all three group stage matches. Against Burkina Faso, Kouassi provided the assist on Inès Konan’s first goal. Kouassi earned cautions against South Africa and Tanzania and will miss Ivory Coast’s Quarter Final match against Algeria due to yellow card accumulation.

Mélissa Bethi (Algeria)

The Fennec Foxes opened WAFCON against Senegal. Marine Dafeur gave Algeria the lead from the spot in the 42nd minute.
Mélissa Bethi scored off a Senegalese turn over deep in their defensive half to secure the 2-0. Facing Morocco, Algeria played a scoreless draw deep into the second half, but ultimately fell after conceding in the 84th minute. In their last group stage match Marine Dafeur scored in the 14th minute on a sublime free kick to open up scoring. Lynda Bendris doubled the Fennec Foxes’ lead just 9 minutes later.

Mélissa Bethi appeared in all three group stage matches for Algeria. She played the full match against Senegal and Morocco. Bethi started against Kenya and was subbed off after 71 minutes.

Monique Ngock (Cameroon)

The Indomitable Lionesses opened WAFCON against Mali. Fenerbahçe’s Marie Ngah Manga scored twice to lead Cameroon to a 2-1 victory. Against Ghana, Ngah Manga scored from the spot to give Cameroon a 1-0 win. Grace Mendoua scored for Cameroon to help secure a 1-1 draw with Cape Verde and a spot in the knockout round.

Monique Ngock appeared in the Indomitable Lionesses matches against Mali and Ghana, going the distance against both. She provided the assist on Marie Ngah Manga’a first goal against Mali. Ngock was an unused substitute against Cape Verde.

Alimata Bélem (Burkina Faso)

Burkina Faso opened their WAFCON campaign against Ivory Coast. After conceding four goals to Les Éléphantes, Adama Congo scored in the 60th minute for Burkina Faso. That, however, was the only goal they could muster in the match. Against Tanzania, Adèle Kabré gave the Lady Stallions the lead in the 40th minute. After the Twiga Stars found an equalizer, Balkissa Sawadogo provided some last minute heroics to secure a 2-1 win. Any hopes of reaching the knockout stage were dashed in the final group stage match when South Africa won 1-0.

Alimata Bélem played the full 90 in all three of Burkina Faso’s group stage matches.

Knockout Matches

• Ivory Coast vs Algeria – 8 August 2026 – 4 PM ET

• Cameroon vs Nigeria – 9 August 2026 – 12 PM CT

The winner of the Ivory Coast/Algeria match will face the winner of Sunday’s Malawi/Ghana match. The winner of the Cameroon/Nigeria mach will face the winner of Morocco/ South Africa.

The losing Quarter Final teams still have one more match to play. The loser of the Ivory Coast/Algeria match will face the loser of the Malawi/Ghana match. The loser of the Cameroon/Nigeria mach will face the loser of Morocco/ South Africa. The two teams that win will keep their World Cup dreams alive and earn a spot in the intercontinental playoff.