Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Nigeria’s Super Falcons secure Olympic ticket for first time in 16 years after victory over South Africa

Nigeria scaled through to the Paris 2024 Olympics on a 1-0 aggregate scoreline after the Falcons defeated the South African women.

• April 9, 2024
Super Falcons in training
Super Falcons

For the first time since 2008, Nigeria’s Super Falcons have qualified for the women’s football event at the Olympics after Randy Waldrum’s side held South Africa’s Banyana Banyana to a goalless draw in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Nigeria scaled through to the Paris 2024 Olympics on a 1-0 aggregate scoreline after the Falcons defeated the South African women by a lone goal in the first leg of the final qualifying round in Abuja last week.

Rasheedat Ajibade scored the only goal in the game, which eventually ensured the West African nation’s participation in the Olympic Games for the time in 16 years later this year in France.

The win in Nigeria’s capital city on April 2 meant that the Falcons only needed to prevent Desiree Ellis’ side from scoring in South Africa, and the former did exactly that to clinch the Olympic ticket.

Nigeria will join the winner of the final qualifying match between Zambia and Morocco as the two African representatives at the Paris Games – Morocco has an advantage going into the encounter, having won the first leg 2-1 in Zambia.

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