Nigeria’s Super Falcons will take on Ghana’s Black Queens in an international friendly on Saturday as they step up preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The tournament is scheduled to hold from July 19 to August 8, with the Super Falcons aiming to reclaim the continental title they have won a record 10 times.
The Nigerian team opened its training camp in Casablanca on Monday ahead of its Group C opener against Malawi, which will be played in Rabat on July 20.
By Tuesday afternoon, 10 players had reported to the team’s camp at the Marriott Hotel in Casablanca, while midfielder Toni Payne was expected to arrive on Wednesday.
Head coach Justine Madugu supervised the squad’s first training session on Tuesday at the Stade El Arbi Zaouli.
Among the players already in camp are captain Rasheedat Ajibade, goalkeepers Chiamaka Nnadozie and Fatima Oloko, defenders Oluwatosin Demehin, Glory Ogbonna, Shukurat Oladipo and Rofiat Imuran, midfielders Jennifer Echegini and Christy Ucheibe, as well as forward Asisat Oshoala.
Saturday’s friendly against Ghana will be played at the Stade El Arbi Zaouli in Casablanca, with kick-off scheduled for 4 p.m. The Black Queens finished as runners-up to Nigeria when the competition was first staged in Nigeria in 1998.
Following the friendly, the Super Falcons will begin their WAFCON campaign against Malawi before facing Zambia and Egypt in the remaining Group C fixtures.
The four teams that reach the semi-finals will qualify automatically for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, while the fifth-placed side will earn a place in the intercontinental playoff for another chance to secure qualification.
The tournament groups are:
Group A: Morocco, Algeria, Senegal and Kenya.
Group B: South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Tanzania.
Group C: Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt and Malawi.
Group D: Ghana, Cameroon, Mali and Cape Verde. (NAN)
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