Nigeria’s female national team, Super Falcons’ head coach, Justin Madugu has acknowledged that his squad will not find it easy at this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026), because they have in their possession what every other team wants.
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Sports247 reports that Madugu also projected that this year’s competition will be twice as difficult as all others before it, considering that it has 16 teams in attendance for the first time, up from 12 at the previous edition, but he insists Nigeria is still the side to beat.
While Confederation of African (CAF) has also increased the winners’ price money to $2m, Madugu asserted that emerging as champions again is one of the Falcons’ priorities at the championship, while reaching the semi-finals and get one of four tickets to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup is their second target.
“We know it will not be easy, because every other nation wants to depose us. We have in our possession something precious that everybody else wants. However, we will remain resolute and focused and try to achieve both objectives,” Madugu assured with optimism.
Sports247 gathered further that the Falcons located to Rabat on Saturday, after spending 10 days in Casablanca on the final lap of their preparations for the tournament, ahead of which Madugu’s side defeated Tanzania 2-1 in their last build-up friendly on Thursday.
They will now play three group games in Rabat, starting on Tuesday versus debuting Scorchers of Malawi at Al Madina Stadium, following which they will tango The Copper Queens of Zambia at the same venue and then end first round fixtures versus Cleopatras of Egypt at Olympic Stadium.
