WAFCON: Ajibade insists Falcons gave everything News

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WAFCON: Ajibade insists Falcons gave everything

By Daily Sports Nigeria on August 17, 2026

Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade insists she and her teammates gave everything in their unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup despite their disappointing campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the World Cup ended last Thursday after they lost 2-1 to South Africa in the CAF play-off match. Before then, the team had never missed a World Cup since the tournament’s first edition in 1991.

The Falcons had been handed another opportunity to revive their hopes after losing 1-0 to Cameroon in the WAFCON quarter-finals on Sunday. The defeat ended Nigeria’s run of reaching at least the semi-finals at every previous edition of the competition and resulted in their worst-ever finish.

Nigeria had won the WAFCON 10 times before arriving in Morocco as defending champions. Their most recent triumph came in 2025 when they rallied from two goals down to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final.

However, South Africa ended Nigeria’s hopes in the play-off after Thembi Kgatlana opened the scoring in the 56th minute before Refiloe Jane doubled the advantage in the 77th minute. Nigeria’s late response was not enough to overturn the deficit.

Days after the heartbreaking result, Ajibade broke her silence, acknowledging the disappointment of missing the World Cup while insisting that the team had given its all.

“This is to every football-loving fan in Nigeria who has stood by the Super Falcons thus far,” Ajibade wrote on X on Sunday.

“This one hurts. There’s no way around that. We didn’t get the result we wanted, and for the first time, we won’t be at the World Cup.

“I carry that. I take it personally, and I know every member of this team does too.

“But I want to say this clearly: this team gave everything. Every training session, every match, every ounce of fight, nothing was held back.”

The defeat means Nigeria will miss the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament began in 1991, ending their record of appearing at every edition.

Source Punch Ng

Posted August 17, 2026