By Samuel Ahmadu
The Nigeria women’s football team have arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, ahead of their highly anticipated international friendly against the Portuguese women’s national team.
As earlier reported by NigeriaFootball, the contingent, including players and backroom staff, touched down in the Portuguese capital on Sunday as part of the team’s preparations for the upcoming 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Monday’s encounter will take place at the Estadio Jose Gomes in the Amadora precinct of Lisbon and will kick off at 7pm Portugal time.
The friendly fixture is a key part of Head Coach Justin Madugu’s strategy to fine-tune his squad and assess tactical options ahead of the continental showpiece. The Nigerian side, nine-time African champions, are on a mission to reclaim the title they last won in 2018 and extend their legacy as the most successful team in the competition’s history.
The clash against Portugal offers the Super Falcons a quality test, with the European side currently ranked 21st in the world and known for their organized, high-pressing style of play.
Following the Portugal test, the Super Falcons will shift focus to their WAFCON opener against West African rivals Ghana in a much-anticipated ‘Jollof Derby’ slated for Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Morocco.
Tagged #MissionX, the WAFCON campaign marks Nigeria’s second consecutive appearance in Morocco and presents another opportunity for the Falcons to soar on the continental stage.
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.
