2026 WAFCON: Falcons’ FIFA World Cup Ambition Faces Lionesses Test

2026 WAFCON: Falcons’ FIFA World Cup Ambition Faces Lionesses Test

By Niyi Busari 

With a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup at stake, defending champions Nigeria will be determined to overcome familiar rivals Cameroon when the Super Falcons face the Indomitable Lionesses in a potentially explosive Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final in Casablanca on Sunday, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The encounter carries echoes of their meeting four years ago, when Nigeria edged Cameroon 1-0 in the quarter-finals to secure qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Rasheedat Ajibade scored the decisive second-half header to send the Falcons through.

Cameroon have long been among Nigeria’s most familiar opponents at the WAFCON, but the Lionesses have frequently found themselves on the losing side.

Their rivalry dates back to the inaugural 1998 edition, hosted by Nigeria, when the Falcons thrashed Cameroon 6-0 in Kaduna.

The two sides also contested the finals of the 2014 and 2016 editions. In Windhoek in 2014, Desire Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala scored as Nigeria secured a 2-0 victory. Two years later, when Cameroon hosted the tournament, Oparanozie struck late to give the Falcons another narrow win at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé.

Nigeria and Cameroon met twice again earlier this year during a two-match tour in Yaoundé. The Lionesses claimed a rare 1-0 victory in the opening encounter, but the Falcons responded emphatically in the return fixture, winning 3-1 through goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo, Rinsola Babajide and Michelle Alozie—all of whom are in the squad in Casablanca.

The Falcons also defeated Cameroon 2-0 in a friendly last year at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, ahead of their successful Mission X campaign.

Coach Justin Madugu could stick with much of the team that dismantled Egypt 6-0 in their final Group C match in Rabat on Wednesday, while veteran forward Asisat Oshoala is pushing for a starting role after a series of important contributions in Morocco.

Oshoala scored the winner against Zambia in Nigeria’s second group game before converting from the penalty spot to open the scoring against Egypt. The experienced striker had also found the net twice in Nigeria’s two friendly victories over Senegal in Ikenne-Remo before the tournament.

Madugu will also welcome back defender Tosin Demehin and midfielder Jennifer Echegini, who missed the Egypt match through suspension.

The Nigeria coach insists the team’s priorities remain unchanged.

“Our objective remains picking the World Cup ticket and then going ahead to retain the trophy. Nothing has changed.”

Sunday’s quarter-final kicks off at 6 p.m. at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca, a familiar venue for the Falcons after they played most of their matches there during last year’s successful Mission X campaign.

For Nigeria, victory would mean not only another step towards defending their continental crown, but also a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.