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Desire Oparanozie Reflects On Four World Cups, Applauds FIFA’s Growth Drive In Women’s Football
Former Nigeria captain Desire Oparanozie has described playing at four editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup as a defining achievement in her career, while commending FIFA’s recent initiatives aimed at accelerating the global growth of women’s football.
Oparanozie represented Nigeria at the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 tournaments, calling the experience “a dream come true” and a major milestone in her journey.
“Playing in four FIFA Women’s World Cups was a huge milestone, a dream come true and a defining part of my career,” she said.
“Each of the four tournaments brought unique challenges and opportunities for growth — from 2011 where I gained valuable exposure, to 2015, 2019 and 2023 where I contributed more in performance and leadership. It was humbling and a great honour to represent my country on such a big stage.”
Oparanozie also praised FIFA President Gianni Infantino for expanding the Women’s World Cup and improving financial structures for players.
“The increase in the number of teams is fundamental for the growth of women’s football globally — from 24 teams in 2019, to 32 in 2023, and 48 in 2031. It means more opportunities for this generation and the next. It excites me personally because it gives Africa more slots on the world stage.”
She highlighted the landmark payment model introduced at the 2023 edition, where FIFA guaranteed direct minimum payments of $30,000 to each participating player and up to $270,000 for members of the winning squad.
“In all four World Cups I played, the 2023 edition was a reward for years of hard work, especially for African players. For the first time, FIFA directly paid players rather than channeling prize money solely through federations. That was a major step toward gender equity.”
She also welcomed the introduction of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, describing it as a transformative development for women’s club football.
“Having top clubs from each confederation creates a global stage that showcases talent, boosts media visibility and attracts investment. It offers players who may not feature regularly for their national teams the chance to experience world-level competition.”
