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Super Falcons of Nigeria head coach Justin Madugu has unveiled his final 25 players for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The final squad, which is dominated by the WAFCON 2024 winning squad, was posted on the Super Falcons official X handle today (Friday).
Among the players who made the cut are Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Rasheedat Ajibade, Osinachi Ohale, Deborah Abiodun, Esther Okoronkwo, Jennifer Echegini, Folashade Ijamilusi, Rinsola Babajide, Tosin Demehin, Halimatu Ayinde, and Toni Payne.
Also included are Francesca Ordega, Michelle Alozie, Chiwendu Ihezuo, Uchenna Kanu, Shukurat Oladipo, Christy Ucheibe, Rofiat Imuran and Glory Ogbonna.
Experience defender and WAFCON 2024 title winner Ashleigh Plumptre did not make the cut due to injury.
Also Read: WAFCON 2026: Babajide Confident Super Falcons Can Defend Title, Book World Cup Place
The Super Falcons are in Group C alongside Egypt, Zambia and Malawi and will play all their preliminary fixtures in Rabat.
They will open their campaign against Malawi on July 28, take on Zambia on August 1, before rounding off the group phase with a clash against Egypt on August 5.
The Super Falcons secured a record-extending 10th WAFCON title, after a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against hosts Morocco in the 2024 final.
The WAFCON 2026 tournament also doubled as the African qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Also, the top four teams will qualify for the World Cup, and two more teams will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.
Super Falcons Final Squad For WAFCON 2026
By James Agberebi
10 Comments
We are waiting to hear why Ashley did not make the team. Is it out of form, injury or the earlier stuff that happened about not paying to play. We are waiting to see what Isah Sikiratu and Francesca Ordega will do in the tournament. Whether they got in through political power or NFF spot.
Monkey post will wail very well cos of Ashley missing out.
Omo the thing baffle me o…
Ashley my girl did not make the cut….
But liability like that ordega did…
I like that Uchenna Kanu is back. I also like that Maduagu finally had the courage to drop Oluehi since she refused to resign.
Also good that Miracle Usani was dropped. How she made the team last time was a mystery to me, seeing how painfully subpar her game was. She was like an U20-level player.
Sad that Ashleigh couldn’t recover from her injury in time to make the team. I hope the rumor about bribe was just a rumor.
Would have loved to see the other Payne, Nicole, make the team, too, but oh well. The technical staff knows why they keep ignoring her cos I think she didn’t do so bad at the 2024 Olympics when she came in. I liked her work ethic, even though she was rather fragile and not very well built for a footballer.
My good friends here, Greenturf and Papafem, said Chioma Okafor should not make the team on merit, plus she’s still young and has a future in the Super Falcons. I agree. I was just being sentimental, plus I felt Maduagu has not really given her enough time to showcase herself, even for friendly or dead rubber games. Not sure, I’ve even seen her play up to 30 minutes or more than a game for the team.
Okobi should just retire from the national team. I wonder why she was trying to force her way back. Men’s and women’s bodies are not the same. A father can still play good football, but that would be hard for a mother.
Overall, Maduagu seems to be going for experience, rather than youth. This team seems to be made up of players making their last hurrah. No sprinklings of youth here and there.
I just hope speed on the pitch, when it matters most, doesn’t come to haunt us. And also that we don’t have a situation where half the team hangs up the boot after the World Cup (cos I sense players like Oshola just want to have a last shot at the WC). After all, she came into the team before Onumonu, who has retired.
Kel you always make sense. Kudos to you. Same with Greenhurf and Papafem too..kudos.
You just nailed this.
Probably due to her injury. She is still in recovery phase. That was why she was omitted from the team. Nothing else!
I don’t know what Francesca is till doing in dis team seriously Nff have hand is dis
I wish dem best of luck
Half the team and Madugu will retire after the world cup.That is a fact.Look at the conveyor belt of U17 and U20,who is coming through? who have will recruited from the diaspora like Waldrum did? Meanwhile, Countries like Ghana, CIV, Senegal, Morocco,Algeria, Egypt, Cameroon,Zambia ,Cape Verde have seriously recruited very young diaspora players to strengthen their team.I only fear that those young players will not run rings round our aged team.
If we manage to qualify for the next world cup,players like Oshoala,Ordega, Ayinde and Ohale will surely retire for age reasons after the world cup.While players like Alozie, Echigini,Esther Okoronkwo, Ashley might leave the team to focus on other aspects of their lives just like Onumonu did . Remember these are diaspora players and they don’t have the sit tight mentality of home groomed players after all,they have won Wafcon, been to 2 world cups and Olympics game.Any of them will stay only if made Captain of the team( the next captain should come from among these 4 players).
Take a look at the domestic scene, who are the stand out player that should make the team?
The team will be a team in transition but the sad truth is what is the NFF doing to address it? Nothing!
The female basketball team will also come to the end of a cycle after the world Cup in France later in the year.What did the basketball federation and coach Wakama did? They employed a US based coached, scouted the whole WNBA and colligate system for young Nigerian players.Camp them for some weeks and have them play about 4 friendly games.The exceptional ones will join the team to France whilst others will continued to be groomed and mentored until they are ready.
The NFF can engage Coach Waldrum on a similar assignment.
The list houses 6 recent graduates of the Falconets and Flamingo classes which is 25% of the squad and shows Madugu’s commitment to integrate young players in the squad.
At least 9 of the ladies are above 28 year-old which constitutes 36% of the squad. Whilst some observers might find this figure alarming, it is actually par-for-the-course for Nigeria. After all, 10 of the 23 players that Coach Randy Waldrum took to the 2023: World Cup are above 28 years old: a whopping 43%. Yet, the Super Falcons had a memorable tournament.
Fatima Oloko is a rising goalkeeping star in the domestic scene. With her imposing height and expansive frame, it will be interesting to see how she beds with international football if she is given the opportunity to strut her stuff.
For me, the team has too many players of football-retirement age: 5 in all; a 20% composition. The likes of Ohale, Ordega, Ayinde and even Rockstar Oshoalas need to be managed delicately by Coach Madugu so that younger opponents don’t run rings around them in crucial areas in crucial encounters.
All in all it’s a decent squad for me, one definitely capable – on paper – to reach the semi-final of this tournament.
“For me, the team has too many players of football-retirement age: 5 in all; a 20% composition. The likes of Ohale, Ordega, Ayinde and even Rockstar Oshoalas need to be managed delicately by Coach Madugu so that younger opponents don’t run rings around them in crucial areas in crucial encounters.”
That’s the most instructive of your entire take, especially your advice on how to manage the team. Good job @Deo.