WAFCON: Rasheedat Ajibade outlines Nigeria’s target in Morocco

Nigeria women’s national team striker Rasheedat Ajibade has discussed their mission in Morocco during the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The Super Falcons are among the 12 teams that will compete in the tournament following the conclusion of the second round of qualifying matches. Nigeria secured their place at WAFCON after a 3-1 aggregate victory over Benin.

Chinwendu Ihezu and Esther Okoronkwo scored in the first leg, then Ashleigh Plumptre in the second to seal the deal for the Super Falcons, who will be participating in their 16th continental competition.

Apart from Nigeria, who will be there to defend their continental title won earlier this year, other nations that secured tickets include hosts Morocco, Algeria, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.

2026 WAFCON crucial for Nigeria

Ajibade, who plays for French Première Ligue club Paris Saint-Germain, who is the reigning WAFCON Player of the Tournament, has discussed Nigeria’s chances to retain the trophy.

“No, we just have to go with the same energy, with the same mentality. We want to be a team that can compete against anyone,” said Ajibade as quoted by FIFA.com.

“The 2026 WAFCON is crucial for us. We have to make sure that, first, we get a ticket to the World Cup and, second, defend the title. We want to show we’re a better team.”

On what makes the Super Falcons great, she replied: “I would say the personalities, the quality of the players that we have, the mindset. We’re willing to stick together, to work together, to back up ourselves as sisters.

“So that’s one thing that makes this team really special. Players who are dedicated, who understand their role and responsibility, who also advocate for change.”

Asked to state what will be Nigeria’s target if they qualify for the World Cup, Ajibade responded: “Firstly, as players, we are ready, we focus on football. We now hope that we can work together with the federation to make sure that the team is able to perform well on the global stage, at the World Cup.

“We’re saying: “We don’t just want to be African champions anymore. We want to be global contenders.” We want to make sure that we surpass the level that we hold. Because we know we have the quality and the talent.”

The final phase of the 2026 WAFCON is structured into three groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the quarter-finals, along with the two best third-placed teams. From this stage, the competition will adopt a knockout format leading up to the final, where the winner will be crowned.