Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala has called on Nigerians to throw their weight behind the team as they face South Africa in a crucial 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off on Thursday.
With Nigeria’s World Cup hopes now hanging in the balance, Oshoala believes the Super Falcons need the support of the nation more than ever as they fight to preserve their historic record at the global tournament.
Nigeria lost their automatic qualification opportunity after suffering a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
The result denied the 10-time African champions a place in the WAFCON semi-finals and forced them into the more difficult qualification route for the World Cup.
The Super Falcons are among the four teams eliminated at the quarter-final stage who will contest two knockout play-off matches. The winners of those encounters will advance to FIFA’s Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament, where three World Cup tickets will be available.
Oshoala admitted that the team was disappointed by its performance at the WAFCON but insisted the players are determined to respond against South Africa.
She also urged Nigerians to remain firmly behind the squad with a place at the 2027 World Cup at stake.
“The only thing I can say right now is we need their support. The World Cup ticket is at stake, so this is the time when we really need everyone to support the team,” she said.
The Barcelona legend also pointed to the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the men’s World Cup as another reminder of what is at stake for Nigerian football.
“We already know the Super Eagles didn’t qualify, so we know what is at stake and we know how Nigerians feel about this. We are sorry we lost this one, but the next game we will put in more effort and try to win the game.”
Nigeria find themselves in unfamiliar territory. The Super Falcons have never missed a Women’s World Cup since the tournament was launched in 1991 and remain one of only seven teams to have featured at all nine editions of the competition.
That remarkable record is now under serious threat, as the Super Falcons must successfully navigate the play-off route to maintain their unbroken presence at the global tournament and keep alive their hopes of featuring in Brazil in 2027.
Their difficult WAFCON campaign has also exposed the growing competitiveness of African women’s football.
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Nigeria entered the tournament as defending champions and Africa’s most successful team, but suffered defeats against Malawi and Cameroon during their campaign.
For Oshoala, those setbacks should serve as a warning that Nigeria can no longer depend solely on their pedigree and history to remain at the summit.
“Smaller nations are closing the gap for sure, but it’s also a wake-up call for us to put in effort knowing that there are other people who actually want to win this trophy. So we have to work harder now,” she said.
The message from Oshoala is clear: the disappointment of Morocco must be put aside quickly, because Nigeria’s next battle could determine whether their remarkable World Cup streak survives.
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