On August 9, 2026, the Moroccan women's national football team achieved a remarkable feat by securing its place in the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, marking their second consecutive qualification. This milestone was reached after a thrilling 2-1 victory over South Africa in the quarter-finals of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, hosted in Morocco.
By reaching the semi-finals of the continental championship, Morocco not only ensured their spot in the global tournament but also mirrored their achievement from the 2023 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand, which was their inaugural appearance in the competition.
The Moroccan team is set to face the winner of the upcoming match between Cameroon and Nigeria in the semi-finals, scheduled for Wednesday, at the “Al Arabi Al Zawali” stadium in Casablanca. The match on Saturday was witnessed by a large crowd at the “Prince Moulay Hassan” stadium in Rabat, where the Moroccan team showcased their dominance, finishing the first half with a lead after a goal from Soukaina Ouzraoui in the 45th minute, assisted by a cross from Hanan Ait Hajj.
Further extending their advantage, Ait Hajj converted a penalty in the 52nd minute, awarded due to a foul on Ghazlan Chabaka inside the box. South Africa managed to reduce the deficit in the 67th minute through a goal from Thembi Kgatlana, who sparked a flurry of attempts from her team to equalize in the remaining minutes. However, Moroccan goalkeeper Khadija Ramichi maintained her composure, ensuring that her team held onto their lead until the final whistle, thus securing their place in the semi-finals of the continental tournament and the 2027 World Cup.
Morocco has now become the second national team to qualify for the 2027 World Cup from the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, following Algeria, who earlier secured their ticket by defeating Ivory Coast 2-1. This edition of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations marks Morocco's third consecutive time hosting the tournament, running from July 26 to August 16, featuring 16 teams across the cities of Casablanca and Rabat.
As reported by aa.com.tr.
