Super Falcons gear up to face Benin Republic in Morocco 2026 WAFCON qualifiers

By Samuel Ahmadu

Nigeria’s senior women’s national football team, will return to competitive action this month as they take on Benin Republic in the second round of qualifiers for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the first leg of the double-header will be hosted by Benin on October 24 in Togo, while the return leg is scheduled for October 28 at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The Super Falcons, are aiming to book their ticket to Morocco, where they will seek to defend the historic 10th continental title (La Décima) they won in July 2025.

Months earlier, the reigning African champions, came from two-goal down to upset hosts Morocco and reigning World Cup winning coach Jorge Vilda and earn a hard-fought 3-2 win for a historic 10th triumph.

Madugu Names 24-Player Squad, Camp Opens October 20

Interim head coach Justine Madugu has named a 24-player squad for the two-legged tie as he looks to guide Nigeria to another WAFCON appearance.

The West Africans will open camp in Nigeria on October 20 before flying out to Togo for the opening fixture.

Despite leading the most successful African national team to WAFCON glory earlier this year, Madugu remains in an interim role, with the NFF yet to confirm his appointment as the full-time head coach.

First Appearance Since WAFCON Triumph

This will be the Super Falcons’ first outing since their title-winning campaign in Morocco, where they solidified their status as the most successful team in African women’s football.

Madugu’s side returning to action is expected to reignite fan excitement and reinforce their dominance on the continent.

Nigeria will be favourites heading into the encounter, but the Beninese side, newer to the top level of African women’s football, will be looking to pull off a surprise.

Match Details at a Glance

• First Leg: October 24, 2025 – Benin (host), to be played in Togo

• Second Leg: October 28, 2025 – Nigeria vs Benin, Abeokuta

• Venue: MKO Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta

• Competition: 2026 WAFCON Qualifiers – Second Round

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.

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