New Opponent Emerges for Super Falcons After Ghana Cancels Friendly Over Nigeria's Lack of Players
- Nigeria's Super Falcons have secured a new international friendly after Ghana cancelled the planned pre-WAFCON clash
- Tanzania's Twiga Stars will now face the nine-time African champions in Casablanca as both teams step up preparations
- The Ghana friendly was called off because Nigeria did not have enough players in camp to stage the match
Nigeria's Super Falcons have secured Tanzania as a replacement opponent after their scheduled international friendly against Ghana's Black Queens was called off just days before the start of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The ten-time African champions will now face Tanzania's Twiga Stars in Casablanca on Sunday as both teams continue preparations for the continental tournament, which kicks off in Morocco on July 26.
Source: Getty Images
The fixture provides Nigeria with a valuable opportunity to test tactics and improve match sharpness after the unexpected cancellation of the Ghana encounter threatened to disrupt the team's build-up.
Tanzania confirm Nigeria friendly
According to CECAFA, Tanzania head coach Bakari Nyundo Shime confirmed that his side will face Nigeria before playing another warm-up match ahead of the tournament.
Speaking about his team's preparations, Shime said:
"We are going to face Nigeria and also play a second friendly match with another team before the tournament starts. These friendly matches will help us shape up well ahead of the tournament."
The coach expressed confidence in his squad, insisting the Twiga Stars are heading into the competition better prepared than ever following improved planning and player management.
Tanzania will begin their WAFCON campaign against defending champions South Africa before taking on Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire in Group B.
Why Ghana cancelled the friendly
Nigeria had originally been scheduled to face long-time rivals Ghana in Casablanca in what was expected to be the Super Falcons' final warm-up match before WAFCON.
However, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced that the fixture had been cancelled due to "unforeseen circumstances" without offering further details.
Legit.ng, however, gathered from sources within the federation that the cancellation was primarily due to the shortage of players in Nigeria's training camp.
As of Friday, when the match was called off by the NFF, only 13 players—including two goalkeepers—had arrived at the Super Falcons' camp at the Marriott Hotel in Casablanca, making it impossible to organise a competitive fixture.
By Sunday, the number had only risen to 15 players, with 10 more members of the squad still expected to report to camp.
The lack of available players denied the coaching crew an important opportunity to assess combinations and build momentum before the continental championship.
WAFCON preparations continue
Despite the setback, the Super Falcons have quickly adjusted their plans, with the Tanzania friendly now expected to play a crucial role in helping the technical crew evaluate the squad before Nigeria begin their quest for a record-extending 10th WAFCON title.
According to CAF, the expanded 16-team tournament will run from July 26 to August 16 and also serves as the African qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, with the four semi-finalists booking automatic places at the global tournament.
Oshoala denies coach's death
Legit.ng previously reported that Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala dismissed false reports claiming her grassroots coach had died, describing the viral claim as completely untrue and urging Nigerians to ignore the misinformation.
The six-time CAF Women's Player of the Year also revealed she had blocked the journalist responsible for the now-deleted post, while reiterating that her former coach was alive and in good health.
Source: Legit.ng
