Rasheedat Ajibade, captain of the Super Falcons, has spoken on the vital takeaways following Nigeria’s exit from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and their subsequent loss in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The national team lost their chance at a World Cup spot after a 2-1 defeat by South Africa in an inter-confederation match on Thursday.
This loss occurred shortly after a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the WAFCON quarter-finals, which marked the first time in the tournament’s history that Nigeria failed to reach the semi-finals. During the match against South Africa, Thembi Kgatlana and Refiloe Jane secured goals for Banyana Banyana, rendering Christy Ucheibe’s late goal insufficient for a comeback.
Ajibade emphasized that the squad must view these results as a chance for self-reflection and growth. She stressed that the team can no longer rely on past reputation, as the level of competition across the continent has intensified significantly. The captain noted that the squad must improve their level of preparation and hold both themselves and their peers to a higher standard of performance. The result against South Africa concludes Nigeria’s historic streak of qualifying for every Women’s World Cup since the tournament started in 1991.
