Nigeria's Super Falcons Pursue 10th WAFCON Title in Mission X

Abuja, Nigeria (AP) - July 17: Nigeria's "Mission X" might sound ominous, but its purpose is straightforward: the Super Falcons are aiming for their 10th overall Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title. This year’s tournament comes amidst a summer packed with major women's soccer competitions globally, including the European Championship and Copa América Femenina.

While Spain strives to add a Euro title to their Women's World Cup victory, and Brazil chases a ninth Copa América title in Ecuador, Nigeria's Super Falcons are strong contenders in Morocco for WAFCON. Accompanied by their catchy slogan, "This is Mission X. One Team. One Goal. One More Star," Nigeria led their group despite less than stellar performances, including a 0-0 draw against Algeria and a narrow 1-0 win over Botswana.

The path to glory becomes tougher when the Super Falcons face Zambia in the WAFCON quarterfinals on Friday. Known as the most successful women's team in Africa, Nigeria boasts nine African titles and has appeared in the Women's World Cup nine times, reaching the quarterfinals in 1999.

With the growth of women's soccer in Africa, the expanded 2023 Women's World Cup featured four African teams: in addition to Nigeria, Zambia and Morocco made their debuts, while South Africa returned for their second appearance. Impressively, Nigeria, South Africa, and Morocco all reached the round of 16.

Part of Nigeria’s Mission X is improving upon their performance at the 2022 WAFCON, which saw South Africa crowned champions as Nigeria finished fourth. “We know why we’re here, and our goal is to make the Mission X possible,” said goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. “Every team is good and wants to beat Nigeria, but we’re determined to bring the trophy back to Nigerians.” Nnadozie, recently signed by Brighton in the English Women's Super League, is notable among a team of stars including Asisat Oshoala, a six-time African women's player of the year now with the Bay FC, and captain Rasheedat Ajibade, playing for Atlético Madrid.

Zambia also boasts rising African talent such as Racheal Kundananji, Oshoala’s teammate at Bay FC, and Barbra Banda from Orlando Pride. The growth of the sport is mirrored in the tournament’s prize money, with the winner earning $1 million from a total prize pool of $3.475 million.

African confederation president Patrice Motsepe affirmed, “The quality and standard of women's football in Africa is consistently improving and is world class.” Yet, challenges persist. The biennial WAFCON was delayed due to Nigeria and Zambia's Paris Olympics qualifications and logistical concerns, with many games witnessing sparse crowds.

Nigeria's squad faced additional hurdles, such as Nike training jerseys stuck in Moroccan customs, compelling the team to practice in old kits. Moreover, reports have surfaced about unpaid player bonuses for tournament qualification. Pay disputes have long plagued the team, including notable sit-ins during both the 2019 Women's World Cup and the 2022 WAFCON to protest non-payment.

Despite these issues, Coach Justin Madugu stays focused on Mission X. “It’s a Herculean task managing a team like the Super Falcons,” he acknowledged. “They have high standards, and we're doing our best to sustain and even surpass those standards, which is our ultimate goal.”

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