African champions Super Falcons of Nigeria will defend their title at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco after playing 1-1 with Benin Republic in the playoff second leg in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
The Super Falcons go through on a 3-1 aggregate win after winning the first leg 2-0 in Lome Togo.
Ashleigh Plumptre netted her first-ever goal for the Super Falcons after putting them 1-0 up in the first half.
In front of a lively crowd the Super Falcons approached the return leg with confidence, as Justine Madugu’s side dominated possession and dictated the tempo from the opening whistle.
Their control was rewarded in the 12th minute when Plumptre surged forward and headed home a corner kick by Esther Okoronkwo.
Also Read: Nnadozie Nominated For IFFHS Best Goalkeeper Award
Benin, to their credit, refused to give up and n the 61st minute, Yasmine Djibril capitalised on a defensive error to equalise with a clinical low finish — a moment that sparked celebrations among the travelling Beninese supporters.
But despite the setback, the Super Falcons remained calm, relying on the experience of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and the defensive stability of Osinachi Ohale to see out the result comfortably.
The Super Falcons are now one of eight teams who have already qualified for next the 2026 WAFCON.
The other eight teams who have sealed their place are Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Algeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Kenya.
Next year’s WAFCON will hold from 17 March to 3 April, 2026 and will serve as the qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
By James Agberebi
3 Comments
NFF, if you really are keen for the falcons to maintain dominance on the continent, there are 2 windows between now and WAFCON next year to prepare these ladies.
Nov 25 to Dec 3 (at most 2 matches).
Feb 17 to 26 (at most 3 matches).
Cameroon, Guinea and Cote d’ivoire were not in the last WAFCON and yet today’s result reminded me of the struggles we had in WAFCON 2024 group stage matches against Botswana (we laboured to a 1-0 win at the last minute) and the scoreless draw with Algeria.
3 of 6 knockout games then went to extra time which means smaller nations are gradually rubbing shoulders with the big girls.
CAF has even hastened the progress by doing 2 things:
1. Expanded the WAFCON teams from 12 to 16 which means even more rivals will come up in the next few years against us.
2. Where NFF has reduced Nigeria league to rubbish: ALL CAF CLUBS COMPETITIONS (champions league and confederations cup) male teams MUST HAVE FEMALE TEAMS TOO.
Only rivers united is in any CAF competition. I don’t think we have any female team in women champions league (I’m not sure).
Benin Republic used “kids” (under 17 and under 20 players) against us and what a fight they put up. Warning signs.
Ranked 27th in Africa and 144th in the world, they slugged it out against African number 1 and world’s 36th best team.
And we are not scared?
We are not even getting younger players into the team to gain experience and exposure from perennial champions like Oshoala and Ohale.
Come on. We reached a world cup performance in 2023 but by the time the next one rolls in:
Add 2 years to the current age of
Plumptre and Esther Okoronkwo (monkey post undecided babes) – 27 and 28
Alozie – 28
Oshoala – 31
Ordega – 32
Ihezuo – 28
Omorinsola Babajide – 27
Uchenna Kanu – 28
Tony Payne – 30
Ayinde – 30
Ohale – 33
Those are practically the first team; what chances do we have to stand out in 2027 or sustain our tempo in Africa (and I know loyalty to these players will worry Madugu).
NFF una no get sense.
Make sure you fix friendlies for falcons. It’s Benin Republic today. What if we face Morocco or Zambia or SA or youthful Ghana or Malawi (by the way, Chioma Okafor country of birth, I think, just qualified for WAFCON next year. Madugu is messing with her sha)?
Super Falcons must not go the way of over bloated eagles who last won afcon in 2013.
If other nations are walking in women’s football, we should be flying.
Is it so hard, NFF?
Even to Livestream your home match was impossible. Not even CS could do “live blogging”.
Gusau the accountant, no near second term next year even if eagles qualify for world cup.
All our national teams are fading like the stars that appear in the early morning.
Sadly, more responsible nations are gouging for our jugular with fury.
Wake up, Nigeria.
Good comment, Bro. I’ve always maintained that Madugu’s team — just like the Super Eagles in recent years — struggles badly against teams that sit deep and play compact. It’s become a defining tactical weakness, one that honestly deserves a “state of emergency” in our football. If you recall the last WAFCON, those early matches against Algeria and Botswana were perfect case studies. We looked clueless until opponents began opening up in the knockout rounds, and only then did our attack start to breathe. Fast-forward to the recent games against Benin — the same story all over again. Once the opposition sits back, we run out of ideas. The question now is, are there no sharp minds in the NFF’s technical department taking notes? Because this isn’t a one-off — it’s a recurring flaw that could cost us dearly at the next WAFCON, especially with World Cup tickets now at stake. Something drastic needs to be done, both tactically and in terms of preparation.
On the issue of aging players, I actually agree that we have enough replacements coming through. Our youth teams have shown promise, and a few players are clearly good enough to start taking over. But that’s exactly why Madugu must begin using friendly matches to integrate these younger players. By now, we shouldn’t still be in the business of “trying out” veterans — we should be grooming the next core of the Super Falcons. Sadly, the Falcons hardly play enough friendlies, and when they do, it’s the same familiar faces. There’s no continuity plan, no clear generational bridge.
And speaking of that bridge, it’s baffling that someone like **Gift Monday** — one of the most exciting and experienced young players we have — has been largely ignored under Madugu. This is a player who should be at the heart of the transition, being groomed as a leader of the next generation. She’s got experience, flair, and leadership qualities that can shape the future of the team, yet she’s being treated like a footnote. That’s not just wasteful — it’s short-sighted.
Madugu also needs to be more proactive in scouting foreign-born Nigerian talents. We’ve already lost Lopez to Spain, and there’s a real danger of losing Imade too. These are players who could have added serious depth, technical quality, and competition to our squad. Ignoring that pool is like refusing free gold because it wasn’t mined in your backyard.
In all, the Super Falcons are standing at a crucial turning point. The raw talent and mental toughness are still there, but we can’t keep relying on those alone. The NFF and Madugu’s crew must embrace evolution — not crisis management. The next WAFCON won’t forgive tactical laziness or poor planning. We must start preparing for the future *now* — building a team that wins with intelligence, structure, and purpose, not just passion and luck.
Starting blunt Oshoala cost the team.I still can’t figure out what this coach sees in Oshoala when we have quality players .