By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigera forward Rinsola Babajide has expressed her excitement after being named in Nigeria’s final 24-woman squad for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), set to take place in Morocco from July 5 to 26.
Babajide, who plays for Spanish club Tenerife, is one of 11 players making their WAFCON debut as head coach Justine Madugu named a blend of experienced and new faces for Nigeria’s campaign to secure a record-extending 10th continental title.
The squad includes key figures such as captain Rasheedat Ajibade, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, and forwards Francisca Ordega and Asisat Oshoala.
Reacting to her selection, Babajide took to social media to celebrate the milestone, writing:
“GUYSSSS, I’M GOING TO MY FIRST SENIOR MAJOR TOURNAMENT!!! IT’S THE GREATEST HONOUR KNOWING I’LL BE REPRESENTING MY COUNTRY AT THE AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS!! THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE & SUPPORT UP UNTIL THIS POINT! GOD DID.”
The 25-year-old winger will be hoping to make a strong impression in her first major international tournament with the Super Falcons.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has scheduled two high-profile friendlies as part of the team’s preparations. The Falcons will face Portugal in Lisbon on Monday, June 23, before playing Ghana’s Black Queens in Morocco on Saturday, June 29.
Nigeria will compete in Group B at WAFCON, where they are set to face Tunisia, Botswana, and Algeria at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
