Malawi secures first Women's World Cup qualification, Nigeria could have first-ever miss

Malawi has secured their first-ever Women's World Cup qualification after advancing through the WAFCON quarterfinals, which are serving as qualification matches for the 2027 Brazil tournament. The competition has produced several shock results, with Nigeria — a historically dominant African football nation — facing the possibility of missing the Women's World Cup for the first time ever. The story was reported by Jon Arnold of USA TODAY on August 10, 2026.