In 2026, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held in New Zealand and Australia. As a football-loving nation, Nigeria’s Super Falcons will be looking forward to participating in the tournament. Here’s what to expect from the Super Falcons group.
The Super Falcons are no strangers to international football, having qualified for every Women’s World Cup since it began in 1991. Their performance has been commendable, with the team reaching the quarter-finals in their debut appearance and making it to the second round on three other occasions.
Nigeria will compete at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia as one of the few countries to have qualified for all editions of the tournament since its inception in 1991.
The Super Falcons were drawn in Group B alongside co-hosts Australia, Olympic champions Canada, and debutants the Republic of Ireland.
In the 2019 edition of the tournament, the Super Falcons were grouped alongside Norway, South Korea, and hosts France. They struggled in the group stage, losing two games and winning one before getting eliminated by Germany in the round of 16.
For the 2026 tournament, the Super Falcons will be hoping to do better and progress further in the competition. The team is currently ranked 42nd in the world, according to FIFA’s latest rankings. This may not be an encouraging ranking, but the team has shown resilience and determination in the past.
Their first game will be against Canada at the 28,870-capacity Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in Australia at 12:30 p.m. local time. The implication of this is that Nigerians and Super Falcons fans will watch the team play at 3:30 a.m same day.
The second game will be against Australia on Thursday, July 27 at 20:00 p.m. local time at the 56,851-capacity Brisbane Stadium. In Nigeria, the game will be on at 11:00 a.m.
Their final group game will be at the same stadium against the Republic of Ireland on Monday, July 31 at 20:00 p.m. local time. In Nigeria, the game will be live at 11:00 a.m.
The team’s technical crew will have to select a balanced squad that is capable of competing against the best teams in the tournament. They will also need to work on the team’s tactical approach and improve on individual players’ fitness levels and skills.
If the Super Falcons can address these issues and perform up to their potential, they have a chance of delivering a better performance in the 2026 Women’s World Cup. The team’s participation in the tournament will also serve as an opportunity to showcase the immense talent of female footballers in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
