After a spectacular showing at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, African teams are bubbling with excitement as they set their sights on the next big event — the 2024 Olympics! Our contributor, Funmi Amusan, explains the qualification process so you can cheer your favourite teams and take part in their journey to the Olympics.
The major sports conversation around the world next year will undoubtedly revolve around the Olympics. The hashtag #Paris24 is already trending on Twitter, TikTok, and various other platforms where relevant discussions are taking place.
History
Nigeria holds the record for appearances, having qualified on three occasions in 2000, 2004, and 2008. South Africa has reached the finals twice, in 2012 and 2016. Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and Zambia each made their Olympic debut, representing their nations in 2012, 2016, and 2020, respectively.
In 2004, Nigeria qualified for the knockout rounds (quarter-finals). To date, this remains the only time an African team has progressed that far.
Olympics format
Football remains one of the major attractions at the Olympics, featuring twelve teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions. This smaller number of teams ensures more excitement and competition between the nations.
Alongside France (the hosts), the United States, Brazil, Colombia, and Canada, two teams are expected to qualify from UEFA, CAF, and AFC, with one last team from OFC rounding out the twelve teams in the women’s tournament.
Qualification
CAF qualification consists of four rounds:
- Round 1: Eighteen teams are divided into four pots and drawn in a knockout home and away fixture.
- Round 2: The winners from round one face off against the top seven teams (by FIFA rankings) in a knockout home and away fixture.
- Round 3: The victors from round two are paired for a home and away fixture.
- Round 4: Two semi-final fixtures take place between the four winners of round 3, and the winners of round four advance to the Olympics.
The Draws
On May 30, 2023, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) held the draw for the African Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Cairo, Egypt, featuring twenty-five national teams.
Round 1
Fixture dates: 10–18 Jul. 2023
- Guinea Bissau (4) vs Benin (5)
- Burkina Faso (2) vs Mali (3)
- Namibia (2) vs Equatorial Guinea (0)
- Ethiopia (10) vs Chad (0)
- Guinea (0) vs Ghana (7)
- Uganda (4) vs Rwanda (3)
- Côte D’Ivoire vs Sierra Leone
- Mozambique vs DR Congo
- Congo vs Tanzania
Round 2
Fixture dates: 23–31 Oct. 2023
- Ghana vs Benin
- Mali vs Zambia
- Côte d’Ivoire vs Tunisia
- Namibia vs Morocco
- Uganda vs Cameroon
- Ethiopia vs Nigeria
- Tanzania vs Botswana
- DR Congo vs South Africa
Round 3
Fixture dates: 19–28 Feb. 2024
- Winner fixture 1 (round 2) vs Zambia
- Tunisia vs Winner fixture 4 (round 2)
- Winner fixture 5 (round 2) vs Winner fixture 6 (round 2)
- Winner fixture 7(round 2) vs Winner fixture 8 (round 2)
Round 4
Fixture dates: 1–9 Apr. 2024
- Winner fixture 1 (round 3) vs Winner fixture 2 (round 3)
- Winner fixture 3 (round 3) vs Winner fixture 4 (round 3)
Following withdrawals from Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia and Tunisia have advanced to round 3. African powerhouses Nigeria, Morocco, and South Africa need emphatic wins to join Zambia in the third round.
Africa made a significant statement at the World Cup with three countries reaching the second round for the first time in the tournament’s history. African teams are now eager to carry that momentum into the Olympics. The question is, who will proudly fly the continent’s flag in Paris?
Join the conversation on X and tweet us your thoughts (@fervorang) and predictions for the qualifiers using #paris2024#cafwomenqualifiers!
