Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade questions Nigeria’s 2026 WAFCON preparation

Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has voiced strong concerns over the level of preparation of the Nigeria women’s national football team ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, set to be hosted in Morocco.

Ajibade, one of the team’s most influential players, publicly expressed her frustration over what she described as a lack of seriousness and intensity in the build-up to the tournament. Despite the Confederation of African Football (CAF) rescheduling the competition from March to July to give teams more preparation time, she believes Nigeria is not making the most of the extended window.

The Super Falcons were expected to begin their preparations with a friendly against Cape Verde women’s national football team, but that plan fell through after the visitors withdrew from the scheduled match. The cancellation has only added to concerns about the team’s readiness ahead of a major continental and global qualifying campaign.

Ajibade took to social media to air her frustrations, questioning the approach to preparations at a critical time for the team. With the Super Falcons also battling for a place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, she stressed the need for greater urgency and commitment in camp.

Her remarks highlight growing pressure on the team to step up their preparations as they aim to defend their status as one of Africa’s strongest sides. The absence of competitive friendlies and structured build-up matches has raised concerns about whether the squad will be fully ready to compete at the highest level.

As the tournament approaches, attention will now turn to how the team responds to its captain’s concerns. For the Super Falcons, the message is clear: higher standards and sharper preparation will be required if they are to maintain their dominance on the African stage and make an impact at WAFCON.