Nigeria or South Africa will face a tough draw at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after the draw for the football event was conducted.
The Super Falcons will face off against Bayana Bayana for the Olympic Games ticket in a double-header with Nigeria hosting the first leg in Abuja on April 5th before the return leg on April 9th in Pretoria.
According to the draw, whoever qualifies between Nigeria and South Africa, has been drawn to face defending FIFA World Cup champions Spain at the Paris Olympics.
South American heavyweights, Brazil and Japan are the other two teams to join the African qualifier in Group C as Nigeria bids to return to the Olympic Games for the first time in 16 years.
Nigeria have not beaten South Africa from open play in the last three encounters – which coincidentally, was in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and must end that bad spell if they intend to qualify for the Olympics.
Meanwhile, Banyana Banyana head coach, Desiree Ellis, has warned the Super Falcons that they would find it difficult to beat South Africa over the two legs in the Olympic Games play-off.
Ellis stated that the Banyana Banyana have already stepped up their preparations, having invited 30 players to the upcoming match next month.
South Africa are bidding to qualify for the Olympic Games women’s football event for the first time since 2016 in Rio, while Nigeria has not qualified for the Games since 2008 in Beijing, China.
The Super Falcons were crowned at the CAF 2023 Awards, fending off competition from South Africa.
Nigeria won the TOTY award off the back of an impressive showing at the World Cup earlier in 2023 where they narrowly lost to England in the Round of 16.
The Super Falcons edged four other nominees including, Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia to the prestigious prize during the CAF Awards ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco.
