Int’l Friendlies: Again, WAFCON 2025-bound, Nigeria, Ghana, S/Africa, others, test skills against tough opposition  

By Harry Awurumibe,  Africa’s No.1 Women Football Journalist

Again, the continental reigning champions South Africa, neighbours Zambia, and West Africans Ghana  are among the teams participating in the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2024 that are putting their skills to the test against strong opposition as they play their second match in a week in preparations for the tournament.

This is even as the nine-time title winners,Nigeria’s senior women’s team, Super Falcons, is hoping to play only one game today at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun state against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon. The earlier advertised first match billed for Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo last Saturday did not hold due to the late arrival of the Cameroonian delegation to Nigeria.

Prompt News reports that the biggest women’s football competition in Africa, WAFCON, slated for Morocco from July 5 to 26, 2026, will be a tough tournament, with each of  the 12 teams in three groups posing great challenges for the other teams involved as there are no more minors in African football.

For this reason, almost all the countries that qualified for WAFCON 2024 are using this May 26 to June 3 FIFA international match window to play friendly matches with Nigeria engaged in one game if the match against Cameroon happens.

Elsewhere, South Africa, with a 2-1 victory over Botswana last week, will  today at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria host Zambia to a high-profile friendly tie. The Cooper Queens played out a 3-3 draw in pre-WAFCON friendly against Botswana at the weekend.

In Abidjan, West African neighbours Ivory Coast will again test the resolve of Ghana in their second match in one week as both the Les Elephants and the Black Queens settled for 3-3 draw in the first match.

Also, Tanzania will keep a date with DR Congo today in the return leg of the last Friday’s encounter, which Tanzania won 2-1 to have the bragging rights going into the second match today in Tanzania.

Meanwhile, tomorrow in Nairobi, Kenya senior women’s team will host the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco in another pre-WAFCON match.