Sports
WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons Lead Hunt for 11th Title, World Cup Qualification
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Super Falcons of Nigeria will begin their quest for a record-extending 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title when the 2026 tournament kicks off in Morocco on Sunday, with qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and a record $2 million winners’ prize also at stake.
Nigeria has been drawn in Group C with Egypt, Zambia and Malawi for the defence of their WAFCON title in March, which will be hosted again in Morocco.
Last year, the Nigerian team won the record 10th tournament after defeating the host nation, Morocco, 3-2 in a spectacular final after going down 2-0.
The 2026 edition will once again be played in Morocco from July 26 to August after the earlier March 17-April 3 date was shifted.
The Confederations of African Football (CAF) cited “unforeseen circumstances” for the delay, but the late change has afforded more time for the newly expanded 16-team tournament, which will feature 34 matches and culminate in the final on Sunday, August 16.
Nigeria’s preparations
As part of preparations, the Super Falcons defeated Tanzania’s Twiga Stars 2-1 on Thursday in Casablanca.
The team debuted an iconic Nike jersey featuring 10 stars, which symbolises the number of victories at the continental tournament.
Nigeria will begin the defence of their title against tournament debutants Malawi at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat on Tuesday, July 28, then face Zambia and Egypt.
Nigeria coach Justine Madugu told reporters the priority for the Falcons is reaching the semi-finals and clinching one of four World Cup places automatically reserved for Africa.
“Our second goal is to defend the trophy and bring it back to Nigeria. We know it will not be easy because every other nation wants to depose us,” he said.
“We have in our possession something precious that everybody else wants. However, we will remain resolute and focused and try to achieve both objectives.”
Squad
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton & Hove Albion, England), Comfort Erhabor (Portsmouth Ladies, England), Fatima Oloko (Abia Angels)
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachuca Tuzas, Mexico), Michelle Alozie (Chicago Stars FC, USA), Shukurat Oladipo (AS Roma, Italy), Rofiat Imuran (London City Lionesses, England), Glory Ogbonna (FC Kiryat Gat, Israel), Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray, Turkey), Sikiratu Isah (Bnot Netanya, Israel), Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal)
Midfielders: Rasheedat Ajibade (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Halimatu Ayinde (BK Hacken, Sweden), Deborah Abiodun (Washington Spirit, USA), Toni Payne (Everton Women, England), Jennifer Echegini (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia), Gift Monday (Washington Spirit, USA), Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto, Canada), Joy Omewa (BK Hacken, Sweden), Francisca Ordega (Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia), Folashade Ijamilusi (Liaoning Shenyang Shenbei Hefeng, China), Omorinsola Babajide (AS Roma, Italy), Chinwendu Ihezuo (Pachuca Tuzas, Mexico), Uchenna Kanu (Cruz Azul Femenil, Mexico).
Teams
Of the 16 qualified teams, nine had taken part in the 2024 edition, while Botswana, DR Congo and Tunisia missed out, having qualified in 2024. Cape Verde and Malawi both will make their first appearance in the final tournament.
Group A: Algeria, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal
Group B: Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Tanzania
Group C: Egypt, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia
Group D: Cameroon, Cape Verde, Ghana, Mali.
Schedule and Final
The kick-off times will be at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. throughout the tournament except the final.
Quarter-finals will take place on August 8 and 9, with both semi-finals following on August 12.
The final will be on Sunday, August 16, at 8 pm at either the Moulay Hassan Stadium or the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, which hosted the scandalous AFCON 2025 final.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Super Falcons have failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after suffering a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in their play-off encounter on Thursday night.
The Nigerian team, reeling from a 1-0 loss to Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the CAF Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Sunday, showed no signs of putting their misery to bed as they went two goals down to the Bayana Bayana team. It took a late penalty scored by Christy Uchebe to halve the deficit after the South Africans went down to 10 players.
The Super Falcons needed a victory against their opponents to progress to the next stage of the qualification process and secure one of the two available tickets to the intercontinental play-offs. The defeat ended their hopes of making it to the 2027 tournament, which will be hosted by Brazil.
The result brings an end to Nigeria’s remarkable record of appearing at every edition of the Women’s World Cup since the tournament was first held in 1991.
The play-offs were introduced to determine the final African representatives after four teams were eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Two qualification tickets were available, with Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire battling for the opportunity to advance.
Ghana secured one of the available tickets after defeating Côte d’Ivoire 2-1, while South Africa claimed the other following their victory over the Super Falcons.
The Super Falcons had featured in all previous editions of the tournament, making their absence from the 2027 World Cup a significant moment in the history of Nigerian women’s football.
It also raises fresh questions about the direction of Nigerian national football after the Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the recently concluded FIFA World Cup held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
European football returns with a bang as the new season kicks off. The dust has barely settled on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but European football wastes no time getting back to business. Over the next two weeks, the continent’s prominent competitions will launch in quick succession, giving fans a dense run of fixtures across the UEFA Super Cup, the FA Community Shield, La Liga, the Premier League and Serie A.
Paris Saint-Germain, fresh off back-to-back Champions League triumphs, faces Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday 12 August at 8pm which will be airing on Supersport across DStv & GOtv, with the French side chasing a second successive Super Cup crown against an Aston Villa team that has become an increasingly serious force in European competition.
England’s traditional curtain-raiser follows four days later. The FA Community Shield, staged in Cardiff on Sunday 16 August at 3pm, pits Premier League champions Arsenal against FA Cup holders Manchester City, the latter beginning life under new manager Enzo Maresca, while Arsenal look to reinforce their status as the team to beat.
Spain gets moving over the same weekend, with La Liga’s opening round running from Saturday 15 to Monday 17 August. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have all been given extended rest following Spain’s World Cup win, leaving the door open for the chasing pack to set an early pace before Matchday 2 arrives from 20 to 24 August.
The Premier League then starts the following weekend, running from Friday 21 to Monday 24 August. Champions Arsenal open their title defence at home to promoted Coventry, before a full round of fixtures featuring Manchester United, Tottenham, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, among others, round out the opening weekend. Serie A joins the calendar on the same weekend, from 22 to 24 August, with holders Inter Milan starting their title defence against Monza and Napoli, Juventus, Milan and Roma all in early action.
With five major competitions launching inside a fortnight, the new European season promises an unrelenting start. All the action will be available live on SuperSport, across DStv and GOtv.
A blockbuster week of sporting action awaits DStv and GOtv subscribers, with the decisive stages of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), UEFA Super Cup, FA Community Shield and Trophée des Champions among the major attractions.
Football takes centre stage as WAFCON reaches its business end in Morocco, with the semi-finals scheduled for Wednesday.
Defending champions Nigeria will not be involved after the Super Falcons were eliminated by Cameroon in the quarter-finals, losing 1-0. Their exit means a new champion will be crowned when the tournament concludes on Sunday.
The first semi-final will see Algeria face Malawi on Wednesday before hosts Morocco take on Cameroon at 21:00 WAT, later in the day. Both matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport. The third-place play-off is scheduled for Saturday, with the final taking place in Rabat on Sunday at 20:00 WAT.
European silverware will also be at stake on Wednesday when Paris Saint-Germain face Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup at Stadion Salzburg in Austria. The fixture pits Champions League winners PSG against Europa League winners Aston Villa and will be shown live on SuperSport 20:00 WAT.
The action continues on Sunday with the FA Community Shield, as Arsenal take on Manchester 15:00 WAT. The traditional curtain-raiser for the English season will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
French football will also have early-season silverware at stake when Lens host PSG in the Trophee des Champions on Sunday at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. The match kicks off at 20:00 WAT and will be live on SuperSport.
The new La Liga season gets underway on Saturday, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and the other leading Spanish clubs beginning their campaigns.
Beyond football, cricket fans will have plenty to enjoy as The Hundred reaches its climax on Sunday, with the women’s final followed by the men’s final. Both matches will be available on SuperSport Cricket.
Combat sports will also take the spotlight with UFC 330 from Philadelphia on Saturday, adding another major attraction to SuperSport’s weekend line-up.
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