Photo: Oshoala
Star striker Asisat Oshoala has called on Nigerians to throw their full weight behind the Super Falcons as they fight to secure a ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, warning that Nigerian football cannot endure another major tournament absence.
Nigeria’s automatic qualification hopes were dashed on Sunday following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-finals. Justine Madugu’s side must now navigate the high-stakes play-in route to remain in contention for the global showpiece.
The urgency comes on the heels of the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 men’s FIFA World Cup in North America—a lingering disappointment Oshoala insists the women’s team must avoid repeating.
“The only thing I can say right now is we need their support. The World Cup ticket is at stake, so this is the time when we really need everyone to support the team,” Oshoala told ESPN.
The Super Falcons face South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in a pivotal showdown at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Thursday, with kick-off set for 9:00 PM West Africa Time (WAT).
South Africa find themselves in a similar precarious position after a 2-1 quarter-final loss to host nation Morocco ended their direct qualification bid. The winner of Thursday’s clash will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs to battle for a final World Cup spot.
Ahead of the tie, South Africa defender Lebohang Ramalepe urged her teammates to maintain focus and resilience despite the setback.
“What is required is mental toughness. As a team, we just need to ask ourselves: what is it that we want?” Ramalepe said. “If we go into the next match with the mentality of ‘all is lost’… no, we still have a chance, all is not lost.”
With a place at Brazil 2027 hanging in the balance, both African powerhouses prepare for an uncompromising battle where only victory extends their World Cup dreams.