The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will get under way in Morocco on Sunday, 26 July, with defending champions Nigeria aiming to capture a record-extending 11th continental title.
Over the years, a host of Super Falcons stars have left an indelible mark on Africa’s biggest women’s football tournament, producing iconic performances and setting the benchmark for excellence on the continent.
In this feature, Completesports.com’s ADEBOYE AMOSU takes a look at the Nigerian legends who have illuminated the WAFCON with their remarkable performances.
Perpetua Nkwocha (Forward)
Widely regarded as Nigeria’s greatest WAFCON player, Nkwocha remains the competition’s all-time leading scorer with 24 goals.
The 50-year-old also holds the record for scoring in the most WAFCON matches, having found the back of the net in 20 different games.
Her record of 11 goals in a single WAFCON tournament, set at the 2010 edition, remains unmatched.
Nkwocha also scored nine goals in 2004 and seven in 2006, and claimed the tournament’s Golden Boot on four occasions (2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010).
Mercy Akide-Udoh (Forward)
Akide played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s dominance of women’s football in Africa, helping the Super Falcons win four consecutive WAFCON titles in 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2002.
Her outstanding performances were recognised in 2001, when she became the inaugural recipient of the CAF African Women’s Footballer of the Year award.
The former San Diego Spirit forward scored seven goals at the 2000 tournament to win the Golden Boot, underlining her status as one of the competition’s greatest-ever players.
Florence Omagbemi (Midfielder)
The elegant playmaker represented the Super Falcons for more than a decade and captained Nigeria to four WAFCON titles in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004.
Omagbemi made history in 2016 by leading the Super Falcons to the WAFCON title, becoming the first woman to win the competition as both a player and a coach.
Ann Agumanu-Chiejine (Goalkeeper)
A cornerstone of the Super Falcons side that dominated African women’s football throughout the 1990s, Ann Agumanu-Chiejine was widely regarded as one of the continent’s finest goalkeepers.
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Renowned for her composure, consistency and commanding presence between the posts, she played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s early successes and helped establish the high standards that future generations of Super Falcons goalkeepers would strive to match.
Her contributions laid the foundation for Nigeria’s long-standing reputation as a powerhouse in women’s football.
Nkiru Okosieme (Midfielder)
Nicknamed “The Headmistress” for her exceptional aerial prowess, Okosieme is widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders to have represented the Super Falcons.
The former Rivers Angels star played a key role in Nigeria’s dominance of African women’s football, winning three WAFCON titles in 1998, 2000 and 2002.
Okosieme also etched her name into the competition’s history by finishing as the top scorer at the inaugural WAFCON in 1998, becoming the tournament’s first-ever Golden Boot winner.
Asisat Oshoala (Forward)
The six-time CAF Women’s Player of the Year finished as the top scorer at the 2016 WAFCON finals, claiming the Golden Boot with six goals.
The 31-year-old played a key role in several of Nigeria’s WAFCON triumphs and was named the tournament’s Best Player at the 2014 edition in Namibia.
Oshoala also became only the second Super Falcons player, after Perpetua Nkwocha, to score four goals in a single WAFCON finals match.
She achieved the feat in Nigeria’s emphatic 6-0 victory over Mali at the Limbe Stadium in Cameroon on 20 November 2016.
Onome Ebi (Defender)
One of Africa’s greatest defenders, Ebi played a vital role in several of Nigeria’s successful WAFCON-winning campaigns.
Renowned for her consistency, leadership and remarkable longevity, the former centre-back remains one of the greatest players to have represented the Super Falcons.
She is Nigeria’s most-capped player, having made 109 appearances for the Super Falcons during an illustrious international career.
The 43-year-old featured in five Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, winning the title on four occasions.
Precious Dede (Goalkeeper)
Highly regarded for her outstanding reflexes and commanding presence, Dede featured in four WAFCON tournaments, lifting the trophy twice with the Super Falcons in 2010 and 2014. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of Nigerian women’s football.
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The 46-year-old succeeded legendary goalkeeper Ann Agumanu-Chiejine as Nigeria’s first-choice shot-stopper and earned widespread acclaim for her bravery, leadership, agility and authority in the penalty area.
With 99 international appearances, she is one of the most-capped players in Super Falcons history.
Desire Oparanozie (Forward)
Oparanozie ranks among the greatest players in WAFCON history. She claimed the Golden Boot at the 2014 tournament after finishing as the competition’s top scorer with five goals.
The former captain etched her name into Nigerian football folklore by scoring the decisive goal in the Super Falcons’ 1-0 victory over hosts Cameroon in the 2016 final at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé.
Oparanozie featured in four WAFCON tournaments and won the title on each occasion, underlining her status as one of the most successful players in the competition’s history.
Rasheedat Ajibade (Forward)
The current Super Falcons captain enjoyed a dream debut at the WAFCON, helping Nigeria lift the title at the 2018 tournament in Ghana.
Ajibade was Nigeria’s standout performer at the 2022 finals, finishing as joint top scorer with South Africa’s Hildah Magaia and Morocco captain Ghizlane Chebbak, with all three players sharing the Golden Boot.
She reached even greater heights at WAFCON 2024, where she was named Player of the Tournament after inspiring the Super Falcons to a record-extending 10th continental title.
