The journey to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games has officially begun for African women's football teams. Following the Confederation of African Football draw held in Cairo on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, thirty-five national teams now know their routes to securing one of the two coveted tickets available for the continent.
The qualification campaign is structured into five demanding knockout rounds, all played on a home-and-away basis. This extensive process is designed to whittle down the field from 35 contenders to the final two nations that will represent Africa on the global stage in the United States.
For Nigeria, the Super Falcons, the path has been set. As one of the top-ranked teams, Nigeria received a bye past the opening stage. They are scheduled to enter the competition in the second round, where they will face the winner of the preliminary fixture between Sudan and Comoros. That second-round tie is slated for October 2026.
The competition kicks off with the first round in June 2026, featuring the six lowest-ranked teams, including Sudan and Comoros, who will play each other to determine who advances to face the seeded nations. From there, the intensity will only increase as the tournament progresses through subsequent rounds in 2027.
The roadmap for the remaining stages is equally challenging. After the second round in October 2026, the third round is scheduled for February and March 2027, followed by the fourth round in October 2027. The entire qualification marathon will culminate in a final decisive round, taking place between 23 November and 4 December 2027, to determine the two African representatives for Los Angeles.
With only two slots open for the entire continent, the level of competition is expected to be incredibly high. Nations like Ghana and South Africa, along with Nigeria, will be among the favorites, but as the knockout format dictates, there is very little margin for error. Every match, whether in the early preliminary stages or the final rounds, will be crucial as these teams fight for a place in history.
The 2028 Olympic women's football tournament is scheduled to take place from 11 to 29 July 2028. For many of the players and coaches across the continent, the work starts now as they prepare for the long road ahead, knowing that the journey to Los Angeles is officially underway.