Morocco and Nigeria set for high-stakes clash in 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers

Morocco will face Nigeria in the third round of African qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after the Super Falcons secured a 7-0 aggregate victory over Comoros.

Nigeria booked their place in the next round with a 5-0 win in the second leg in Ikenne on Tuesday, having claimed a 2-0 victory in the opening match.

The tie presents a major challenge for Morocco, who are seeking to qualify for the women’s Olympic football tournament for the first time in their history. Only two African nations will secure places at the Los Angeles Games.

Nigeria advance with commanding aggregate victory

The Super Falcons confirmed their progression by adding five goals to their first-leg advantage against Comoros.

Their victory sets up a meeting with the Atlas Lionesses, who advanced to the third round after Congo withdrew from the qualifying competition.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation confirmed on October 6 that FIFA had formally notified it of Morocco’s progression following the decision by the Congolese Football Federation.

Nigeria will bring considerable Olympic experience into the contest, having appeared at four editions of the Games, most recently in Paris in 2024. Morocco, by contrast, have yet to qualify for the women’s Olympic football tournament.

Blahic prepares for first major qualifying test

The encounter will provide one of the first competitive tests for Morocco’s new head coach, Eric Blahic, who replaced Jorge Vilda earlier this month.

The Frenchman took charge after Morocco finished fourth at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. He has also been tasked with preparing the team for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, for which the Atlas Lionesses have already qualified.

Blahic began his tenure with two friendly matches against Uzbekistan in Rabat during the October international window.

Morocco won the first encounter 3-1 on October 9, with Ibtissam Jraidi scoring a hat-trick after the team fell behind early.

The sides then played out a goalless draw at Al Madina Stadium on October 12, giving Blahic further opportunities to assess his squad ahead of the upcoming qualifying campaign.

Two-legged tie to decide who advances

Morocco and Nigeria are scheduled to meet over two legs between February 23 and March 6, 2027, according to the Confederation of African Football’s qualifying calendar.

The winner will progress to the fourth round, which is scheduled for October 4-12, 2027. A final qualifying round will follow between November 23 and December 4.

With only two African teams set to reach the Los Angeles 2028 women’s Olympic football tournament, the tie represents a significant hurdle for Morocco as they pursue a historic first appearance.