WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons Under Siege As Copper Queens Threaten Title Defense
By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria women’s national team find themselves on the brink of an unprecedented crisis as they prepare to battle Zambia’s Copper Queens on Saturday, August 1 at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
Following a shocking 3-2 opening-match defeat to tournament debutants Malawi, the 10-time African champions have zero room for error.
By contrast, Zambia enters the match full of momentum after a ruthless 6-0 dismantling of Egypt. Led by captain Barbra Banda, who scored four goals in their opener, the Copper Queens can secure a spot in the quarter-finals with a victory.
Under heavy pressure after the opening loss to Malawi, coach Justin Madugu labeled this a must-win fixture to keep their title defense alive.
The backline struggled heavily without the injured Ashleigh Plumptre. Madugu is expected to shuffle his starting defenders to neutralize Zambia’s pace.
Striker Barbra Banda and forward Racheal Kundananji pose the ultimate test for Nigeria’s shaky transition defense.
The Super Falcons will look to stars like Rasheedat Ajibade to control possession and stop Zambia from launching quick counter-attacks.
While Zambia possesses the momentum, historical records heavily favor the Super Falcons. This clash marks the fifth WAFCON meeting between the two nations, with Nigeria outscoring Zambia 15-1 across their previous four fixtures.
The Copper Queens and Falcons have met four times in the WAFCON while Nigeria has the upper hand with three victories and Zambia winning just once in the third place game in the 2022 WAFCON.
