Olympics
Our Olympic qualifier against Banyana Banyana is fight to finish vow Super Falcons –
Spectators who will troop into the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Friday are guaranteed a game for the vintage memory as nine-time African champions Nigeria and reigning champions South Africa clash in a highly explosive and no-holds-barred encounter with the Olympics ticket at stake.
Both countries, with stellar talents in the women’s game, are arguably among the best in the world at the moment, and a terrific advertising of the best of women’s football is at hand as from 5pm Nigeria time.
The Super Falcons were Africa’s best team at last year’s FIFA World Cup, but the Banyana Banyana were not far behind as they also made it to the Round of 16 in Down Under.
To underscore their seriousness about giving the Super Falcons a good fight for the ticket, the delegation of Banyana Banyana to the encounter arrived in Abuja on Sunday, and have been training for the big match since that day.
On Monday, the South African High Commission started active mobilization of South Africans living in Nigeria to come and support the reigning African champions.
On Wednesday, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi called on residents of Abuja and environs, and even in the neighbouring States, to storm the MKO Abiola Stadium in their thousands to cheer the Falcons to victory.
The above means that a sizeable crowd is guaranteed inside Nigeria’s largest football temple on Friday evening.
Coach Randy Waldrum is most likely to stick to his tested-and-trusted World Cup rearguard, including goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and defenders Michelle Alozie and Osinachi Ohale. In the absence of the injured Oluwatosin Demehin and Ashleigh Plumptre, Alozie could move to left back to give returnee Chidinma Okeke the space on the right, with youngster Shukurat Oladipo likely to pair Osinachi in the centre.
Hard-as-nails Halimatu Ayinde and Christy Ucheibe will spearhead the midfield, with Captain Rasheedat Ajibade and the slippery Deborah Abiodun providing the guile and flamboyance. Uchenna Kanu, Esther Okoronkwo, Jennifer Echegini, Rinsola Babajide, Gift Monday, Asisat Oshoala and the returnee Chiwendu Ihezuo are all options in the attack.
For sure, Coach Desire Ellis also has dependable weapons in her armoury, not least of them the nimble-footed Thembo Kgatlana, as well as Jermain Seoposenwe, both based in Mexico. There’s also the crafty Hildah Magaia, as well as midfielders Linda Motlhalo, Jane Refiloe and Nomvula Kgoale.
“We want our people to come to the stadium and support us. The Super Falcons do not fear any team. With their support, we will play with total confidence and overcome,” said goalkeeper Nnadozie.
The return leg will take place at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Tuesday evening.
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will begin their campaign for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games from the second round of the African qualifiers after being granted a bye in the opening stage.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday in Cairo by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), placed Nigeria among 29 higher-ranked teams exempted from the first round of the series.
The Super Falcons will take on the winner of the first-round clash between South Sudan and Comoros in their opening fixture of the qualifiers.
A total of 35 nations are competing for just two available slots allocated to Africa for the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, underlining the intensity and high stakes of the qualification process.
The qualifiers will be contested over five knockout rounds on a home-and-away basis, leaving little room for error as teams battle for continental representation on the global stage.
The first round involves the six lowest-ranked teams—Sudan, Mauritius, Djibouti, South Sudan, Madagascar and Comoros—based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Winners from this stage will advance to face each other again before the 29 seeded teams, including Nigeria, enter the fray.
Nigeria will be aiming to consolidate their status among Africa’s elite women’s football nations, having qualified for the most recent Olympic tournament alongside Zambia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Although the Super Falcons boast a notable Olympic pedigree, having made their debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and subsequently appearing at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024, qualification has not always been easy.
The 16-year gap between their last two participations in Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024 illustrates the tough time they have endured in the qualifying series.
With the women’s football event at Los Angeles 2028 set to feature 16 teams—including hosts the United States—Nigeria’s path to qualification is expected to be demanding.
Attention will now shift to the preliminary encounter between South Sudan and Comoros, as Nigeria’s technical crew intensify preparations ahead of their second-round entry point.
For the Super Falcons, the mission is clear: successfully navigate a rigorous qualifying campaign and secure a return to the Olympic stage in 2028.
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Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will on Wednesday discover their route to the football event of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, scheduled for April 29 at CAF headquarters in Egypt, will set in motion Africa’s qualifying campaign for the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
A total of 35 countries, including Nigeria, will participate in the race for just two tickets allocated to Africa for the Olympic football event, which will take place from July 11 to 29, 2028.
Alongside Nigeria, other contenders include continental heavyweights such as South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Zambia, as well as a wide range of emerging nations from across the continent.
The full list of participating teams also features Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
According to CAF, the qualification series will be played over five rounds, gradually narrowing the field to the two teams that will fly Africa’s flag at the Olympics in the United States.
For Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, the qualifiers present another opportunity to reaffirm their continental dominance and secure a return to the Olympic stage after recent mixed fortunes in global competitions.
The Super Falcons, nine-time African champions, are expected to be among the top seeds when the draw is conducted, a factor that could influence their early-round opponents.
Wednesday’s ceremony in Cairo will therefore provide clarity on the fixtures, timelines and potential hurdles facing Nigeria and other contenders as the road to Los Angeles officially begins.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Morocco’s senior women’s national team will on Wednesday learn their opponents and qualification pathway to the football event of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games when the Confederation of African Football stages the official draw in Cairo.
The draw, billed for April 29 at CAF headquarters in Egypt, marks the starting point of Africa’s qualifying campaign, with 35 nations set to battle for just two coveted Olympic slots.
For Morocco, the exercise represents another significant step in the country’s rapidly rising profile in women’s football. The Atlas Lionesses, who have emerged as one of Africa’s most improved sides in recent years, will be aiming to secure a historic qualification for the Olympic Games.
The North Africans will face stiff competition from traditional powerhouses such as Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon and Ghana, alongside other ambitious sides including Zambia and Senegal.
Also in the race are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
CAF confirmed that the qualifiers will unfold across five rounds, with the field gradually trimmed down until only two teams remain to represent Africa at the Olympics in the United States from July 11 to 29, 2028.
Morocco are expected to be among the seeded teams for the early rounds, a reflection of their recent performances on the continental stage, including their strong showing at recent Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
Wednesday’s draw in Cairo will therefore be crucial in determining Morocco’s early matchups and the potential obstacles on their path, as they seek to translate recent progress into a maiden appearance at the Olympic Games.
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