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After months of silence, speculation, and growing concern over inactivity, Nigeria’s Super Falcons are finally returning to the pitch. Their reawakening comes in the form of a highly anticipated international friendly against arch-rivals, the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon, a fitting test for a team desperate to shake off rust and rediscover its rhythm ahead of a pivotal year.
The double-header, scheduled for Friday, 30 May and Tuesday, 3 June will see the two African heavyweights face off at the Remo Stars Stadium and the Onikan Stadium, respectively. More than just friendlies, these matches mark the Super Falcons’ first outing in nearly six months and serve as a key step in preparing for the rescheduled 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), now confirmed to hold from 5 to 26 July, 2025, in Morocco.
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For a team as storied and successful as Nigeria, 11-time champions and perennial favorites, the long layoff since their last international fixture, a narrow 2-1 loss to France in December 2023, has raised eyebrows. Ifeoma Onumonu scored Nigeria’s lone goal in that encounter in Angers, but since then, the team has largely remained dormant.
South Africa, current WAFCON holders and Nigeria’s fiercest competitors on the continent, have been busy sharpening their claws. Banyana Banyana have played five matches since December, notching emphatic victories over Lesotho and Malawi, and sending a clear signal: they intend to defend their title with full force.
In contrast, the Super Falcons’ silence has been deafening — until now. The upcoming friendlies, confirmed according to sources mark the start of what is shaping up to be a sprint of preparation. While Cameroon won’t be heading to WAFCON 2025, they remain a formidable side known for their tenacity, athleticism, and tactical discipline. For Super Falcons Head coach, Justin Madugu, the matches present a golden opportunity to assess his squad, a blend of seasoned internationals and emerging talents from both local and overseas leagues.
More importantly, the matches offer a chance to build chemistry, test combinations, and rekindle belief.
There is no room for false starts. The Super Falcons are drawn in Group B alongside Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana, the Super Falcons are expected to progress with minimal fuss. Algeria, for instance, have never moved beyond the group stage, while Tunisia and Botswana managed quarter-final appearances in 2022. But history has a habit of being rewritten when preparation is poor and complacency sets in.
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Meanwhile, Group A has hosts, Morocco, Senegal, Zambia, and DR Congo offers a tricky terrain, while Group C is a battlefield of giants: defending champions South Africa, Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania. Nigeria may have avoided the so-called “group of death,” but they cannot afford to overlook anyone.
And that’s what makes the Cameroon clash so vital. It is more than a match, it is a statement of intent.
The stakes are enormous. With the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 cycle underway and Nigeria still smarting from their Round of 16 exit in 2023, WAFCON 2025 represents a chance to reassert dominance. But that dominance will not be reclaimed through reputation alone.
Form, fitness, tactical cohesion, all must be earned on the pitch. So when the whistle blows on May 30 in Ikenne, it won’t just signal the start of a friendly. It will mark the beginning of a long-overdue mission, a mission to restore the Falcons’ roar, reawaken their identity, and remind Africa who they truly are.
The road to Morocco begins now. And the world will be watching the Super Falcons to soar again.
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