The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has released the Super Falcons squad list for the 2025 Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after public outcry against the continued delay in the announcement ahead of the tournament.
NFF announced the 24-member squad for the biggest women biannual football tournament to be hosted by Morocco barely two weeks to the kick-off in north Africa.
In the list released on Friday by the football governing body, 11 players would be participating in their first WAFCON including three local based players who performed exceptionally during the 2024-2025 league seaon in the country.
Aside from the debutant, the roaster included six-time CAF Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala, who was last named for international duty for the 2024 Olympics football tournament.
From the list obtained by NFF from the Coach, Justin Madugu, who took charge following the departure of the United States (US) football tactician, Randy Waldrum, has spent the last nine months experimenting with new players, and so has also given nods to a handful of rising talent to participate in the tournament.
The list released by NFF in a video format had Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC), Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia), and one of the league’s best shot-stopper, Udoka Unachukwu who plied her trade for Nasarawa Amazons.
The defence, Saudi based player, Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad) marked her return to the fold while Sikiratu Isah (Nasarawa Amazons) and Miracle Usani (Edo Queens), both local league players, were selected for the tournament following their performance.
Other defenders on the list were Osinachi Ohale (Pachuca), Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash), Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray) and Shukurat Oladipo (Roma).
For the midfielders, the team’s captain, Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid), Halimatu Ayinde (Rosenborg), Toni Payne (Everton), Jennifer Echegini (Paris Saint-Germain), Deborah Abiodun (Dallas Trinity) and Christy Ucheibe (Benfica) were preferred ahead of other players.
Like the midfield where none of the local league players were considered, the forward was filled with foreign based players including Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC), Francisca Ordega (Ittihad), Chinwendu Ihezuo (Pachuca), Ifeoma Onumonu (Montpellier), Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto), Rinsola Babajide (Tenerife), Folashade Ijamilusi (Liaoning Shenyang), Chioma Okafor (University of Connecticut)
The tournament in Morocco kicks off on July 5, 2025. Nigeria’s Super Falcons are drawn in Group B, alongside Tunisia, Algeria and Botswana.
