Super Falcons forward, Asisat Oshoala, has called on Nigerians to throw their weight behind the team as they prepare for a crucial 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off against South Africa on Thursday.
Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes suffered a setback after the Falcons were beaten 1-0 by Cameroon in Sunday’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
The defeat denied the defending African champions automatic qualification and forced them into the play-off route, where they must win two knockout matches to advance to FIFA’s Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament.
Three World Cup places will be available at that stage.
Oshoala admitted that the team was disappointed by its recent results but said the players were determined to respond against South Africa.
She also urged Nigerians to continue supporting the Falcons as they fight to preserve their record of qualifying for every edition of the Women’s World Cup.
“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,” she said.
“We already know the Super Eagles didn’t qualify, so we know what is at stake and we know how Nigerians feel about this. We are sorry we lost this one, but the next game we will put in more effort and try to win the game.”
The Falcons have never missed a Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1991 and are among only seven nations to have featured in all nine editions.
However, their unbroken record is now under threat, with the 10-time African champions needing to navigate the play-offs successfully to secure their place at the 2027 tournament.
Nigeria’s struggles at the ongoing WAFCON have also underlined the growing competitiveness of women’s football on the continent.
The Falcons suffered defeats against Malawi and Cameroon despite entering the competition as defending champions and Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Oshoala said the results should serve as a wake-up call for Nigeria, stressing that the team could no longer depend on its history and reputation.
“Smaller nations are closing the gap for sure, but it’s also a wake-up call for us to put in effort knowing that there are other people who actually want to win this trophy. So we have to work harder now,” she said.
