Nigeria stars set to shine in UEFA Women’s Champions League Qualifiers

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigerian players are set to take centre stage as the 2025/26 UEFA Women’s Champions League second qualifying round kicks off on Wednesday.

After excelling in domestic leagues across Europe, several Super Falcons and rising stars will be aiming to help their clubs secure a coveted place in the group stage of Europe’s biggest women’s club competition.

Nigerians in Qualifying Action

Suliat Abideen will line up with Turkish champions Fomget GSK against Czech giants Slavia Prague, having helped her side overcome Israeli outfit Kiryat Gat in the first-round finals.

Halimatu Ayinde and Anam Imo are both set to feature for Swedish champions Rosengård, who take on North Macedonia’s Ljuboten.

In Italy, the Nigerian duo of Rinsola Babajide and Shukurat Oladipo will represent AS Roma as they meet Kazakhstan’s Aktobe.

Joy Omewa and her Danish side Fortuna Hjørring will face a tough test against Scotland’s Hibernian as they push for a place in the next round.

Group Stage Awaiting

While the qualifiers get underway, some Nigerian internationals are already guaranteed group-stage action:

Rasheedat Ajibade (PSG, France)

Jennifer Echegini (PSG, France)

Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal)

Fixtures to Watch – Second Qualifying Round

Slavia Prague 🇨🇿 vs Fomget GSK 🇹🇷 (Abideen)

Rosengård FC 🇸🇪 vs Ljuboten 🇲🇰 (Ayinde, Imo)

AS Roma 🇮🇹 vs Aktobe 🇰🇿 (Babajide, Oladipo)

Fortuna Hjørring 🇩🇰 vs Hibernian (Omewa)

Oluwaseun Oyediji

Oluwaseun Babatunde Oyediji is a multi-media sports journalist with over 10 years experience in Information Communication Technology (ICT), women's football, and beach soccer reportage.The prolific writer is the Media Assistant to Nigeria Beach Soccer League and Africa Beach Soccer Union as well as contributor on Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) website.He has covered multiple national and international football tournaments including Championship of African Nations (CHAN 2020), CAF Women's Champions League (2023), and Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2023).Since 2021, Oyediji has covered the NWFL Premiership especially the season ending Super Six Playoffs.A member of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ogun state chapter is also the image maker of the Remo Sports Development Council under the leadership of Chief Falilat Ogunkoya and David Osuolale.

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