Morocco’s women’s national team have advanced to the third round of the African qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games following the withdrawal of Congo from the qualifying competition.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) confirmed on Tuesday that it had received notification from FIFA formally approving the Atlas Lionesses’ progression to the third round. 

Morocco were originally scheduled to face Congo in the second round of the qualification series, but the Congolese Football Federation subsequently informed FIFA of its decision to withdraw its women’s team from the competition.

As a result, Morocco will bypass the second round and wait for the outcome of the second-round encounter between Nigeria and Comoros.

The winner of the Nigeria-Comoros tie will therefore face Morocco in the third round, scheduled for 23 February to 6 March 2027. The round will be played over two legs. 

For Nigeria, the development adds another dimension to the Super Falcons’ immediate Olympic qualification challenge, with Augustine Eguavoen’s side required to first overcome Comoros in the second round before a potential meeting with Morocco.

The Super Falcons are scheduled to face Comoros in a two-legged second-round tie on October 9 and 13, 2026, with both matches taking place at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo because Comoros do not have a CAF-approved venue for international fixtures. 

Nigeria entered the second round with a bye as one of the three highest-ranked teams in the African qualifying series, while Comoros progressed from the opening round after defeating Sudan 30-0 on aggregate. 

The Falcons must win the tie on aggregate to keep alive their hopes of securing a second successive Olympic appearance after returning to the Games at Paris 2024 following a 16-year absence.

Morocco, meanwhile, will be aiming to reach the Olympic Games for the first time in their history. The Atlas Lionesses came close to qualifying for Paris 2024 but were eliminated by Zambia in the final African playoff. 

The Moroccan side has continued to establish itself among Africa’s leading women’s teams, having also qualified for consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cups and reached the semi-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on home soil. 

The African Olympic qualification campaign consists of five knockout rounds. Sixteen teams will compete in the third round, with eight progressing to the fourth round before the final four teams contest the last stage for Africa’s two available Olympic tickets. 

The third-round clash between Morocco and either Nigeria or Comoros could therefore become a major test for the Super Falcons, particularly if Nigeria progresses and the two-time continental powerhouses meet for a place in the fourth round.

For now, however, Nigeria’s attention remains firmly on Comoros, with the Falcons needing to negotiate the October double-header before they can begin planning for a potential showdown with Morocco in February 2027.