Oshoala Calls for Nigerian Support as Super Falcons Fight for World Cup Survival

By Dorcas Francis Koji

Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala has called on Nigerians to rally behind the team as they face South Africa in a crucial CAF play-off for a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil on Thursday.

Nigeria’s hopes of securing automatic qualification were dashed following a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, forcing the 10-time African champions to take the more difficult route to the global tournament.

The Super Falcons are among the four teams eliminated in the WAFCON quarter-finals that will contest the CAF play-offs, with the winners progressing to FIFA’s Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament, where three World Cup places will be decided.

Oshoala acknowledged the disappointment surrounding Nigeria’s campaign but insisted the players remain focused on responding against South Africa.

The experienced striker also urged Nigerians to continue supporting the team at a time when their World Cup future is on the line.

“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 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 find themselves in unfamiliar territory after failing to secure automatic qualification, with Nigeria having never missed a Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991.

The country is also one of only seven nations to have appeared at all nine editions of the tournament, making Thursday’s encounter particularly significant for the Super Falcons.

Their difficult WAFCON campaign has also highlighted the growing competitiveness of women’s football in Africa. Nigeria suffered defeats against Malawi and Cameroon during the tournament, despite entering the competition as defending champions and the continent’s most successful team.

Oshoala believes those setbacks should serve as a wake-up call for the Falcons and a reminder that Nigeria can no longer rely solely on their historic dominance.

“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.

The Super Falcons must now put their WAFCON disappointment behind them and concentrate on the task ahead against Banyana Banyana.

For Oshoala and her teammates, victory would keep Nigeria’s long-standing presence at the Women’s World Cup alive, while defeat would put their remarkable qualification record in serious danger.