2028 Olympic Qualifiers (Women): Six matches on October 8, including Tunisia vs. Senegal in Rades

Six matches in the first leg of the second round of the African qualifiers for the women's Olympic football tournament were played on Thursday, October 8, 2026: Seychelles vs. Kenya, Uganda vs. Zambia, Mauritius vs. Ghana, Benin vs. Mali, Burkina Faso vs. Equatorial Guinea, and Tunisia vs. Senegal, according to the schedule published by Africa Radio. The day before, Ethiopia had already taken an advantage by winning 1-0 in Rwanda; the return leg is set for Tuesday, October 13, in Ethiopia.

Two tickets to Los Angeles

The format is long: four knockout rounds, followed by two finals whose winners will secure the two spots reserved for Africa at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, Africa Radio reminds us. At this stage, Cameroon and Morocco are already in the third round: their respective opponents, Guinea and Congo, have withdrawn.

The Lionesses in Rades, the Lady Stallions in Ouagadougou

In Rades, Tunisia hosted Senegal at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium, with kickoff at 18:00 GMT according to Wiwsport. It was the first official match for Alioune Abitalib Fall at the helm of the Lionesses. "It is important to win these two matches to get through this round," said the coach, who had his full squad available. The return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, in Senegal.

At the 4-Août Stadium in Ouagadougou, Issa Balboné's Lady Stallions faced Equatorial Guinea at 18:00 GMT, according to Africa Top Sports, before a return leg in Malabo. The Nzalang Nacional arrives "with its own" Olympic ambitions, the media outlet warns.

Friday, the DRC and Madagascar take the stage

The program continues on Friday, October 9, with Malawi vs. Zimbabwe, DR Congo vs. Ivory Coast, Angola vs. Namibia, Madagascar vs. South Africa, Botswana vs. Tanzania, Central African Republic vs. Algeria, and Comoros vs. Nigeria. The Lady Leopards host the Lady Elephants at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi at 14:00 Kinshasa time, a clash between two major continental football nations, highlights Africa Top Sports.

Madagascar, for its part, is playing twice in Bloemfontein: the first leg on October 9 and the return leg on October 13 at the Free State Stadium, reports L'Express de Madagascar. Coach Auguste Raux has brought 23 players, including six newcomers, and believes they can "integrate into the team without any complex." The Barea qualified in the first round at the expense of South Sudan (0-0 on June 6, then 1-0 on June 9 with a goal in stoppage time). Facing them, the Banyana Banyana, 2022 African champions, are the favorites.

The return matches will follow starting Monday, October 12. For a large part of the continent, this is the first step of a journey lasting more than eighteen months: African women's football, long underfunded despite its results, is playing for visibility that must be earned on the pitch.