Nigeria’s Toni Payne on Women’s World Cup expectations against Canada

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria midfielder, Toni Payne has opened up on her expectations ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup opener with Canada in Melbourne on Friday morning.

Nigeria and Canada, who have met twice previously, will open their account in this ninth edition of global women’s showpiece when they clash at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Friday.

And Payne declared her intention to play for Nigeria in 2019 before eventually making her senior debut against Russian club CSKA Moscow at the Turkish Women’s Cup on 18 February 2021, and  her first international appearance against Uzbekistan two days later.

On 16 June 2023, the 28-year-old was included in the Nigeria squad for her Women’s World Cup debut and the Sevilla star expects a united West African team to face the Olympic champions.

“I think everyone should expect to see, you know, a super united team, a team who’s extremely strong, talented, and ready to put up the best performance.,” Payne told journalists during the pre-match press conference.

“In terms of equal pay, I think as female footballers, we aim to have the best conditions possible for us and I think for now our main focus is each game and to win.

“Obviously when the issue of payment and equal pay generally for women’s football comes to the surface, it can be difficult to focus at times but as a team, we know what we came here for which is to play football and to focus on the dream,” Payne concluded.

Payne scored three goals with four assists for Sevilla last season in Spain and will be eager to shine on the global stage after a medal-less campaign at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.