Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has made Nigeria’s mission clear ahead of their opening 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) fixture against Malawi: nothing less than victory will be good enough.
The reigning African champions begin their WAFCON 2026 title defence against tournament debutants Malawi on Tuesday, with the Super Falcons determined to start their campaign on the front foot as they chase a record-extending 11th continental title.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference in Rabat, Ajibade insisted that the Super Falcons are fully prepared for the challenge and are focused on delivering the result Nigeria needs.
“The team’s spirit is high. Everyone is fully focused. We know why we’re here and we are ready to take things one step at a time. So we’re 100 per cent ready,” the Atletico Madrid forward said.
That message captures the mood around the Nigerian camp. There is confidence, but there is also an understanding that the defending champions cannot afford to take anything for granted.
Malawi may be appearing at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, but Ajibade has warned against underestimating the Scorchers.
Instead, the Super Falcons captain praised Malawi’s progress and pointed to their qualification as another sign of the growing strength of women’s football across Africa.
“We’re approaching every team with a sense of humility and respect. Seeing Malawi qualify for WAFCON for the first time shows the progress they are making and the intentional investment in women’s football,” Ajibade said.
For Nigeria, however, respect for the opposition does not change the objective.
The Super Falcons want three points.
Ajibade made that perfectly clear when she explained that, in tournament football, the result ultimately matters more than style.
“A good performance for the Super Falcons is to win three points because that’s what matters in this tournament,” she said.
“You can talk about how you play, the tactics and everything else, but if you do all that and don’t win, I don’t think it counts for anything.”
It is a statement that reflects the mentality required from a team carrying Nigeria’s expectations into another major tournament.
The Super Falcons are the most successful team in the history of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and they will be expected to carry that reputation into Morocco. But the competition has changed, and the gap between African women’s football teams continues to narrow.
That is why Nigeria’s opening match could be more important than it appears.
A positive start would give the Super Falcons momentum and put them in a strong position in Group C, where they will also face Zambia and Egypt.
The challenge is not simply to win games. Nigeria must build momentum, maintain focus and manage the pressure that comes with being the defending champions.
Ajibade believes the team is ready for that responsibility.
The Super Falcons captain also called on Nigerian supporters to continue backing the team throughout the tournament, stressing that the support from home has always played an important role in Nigeria’s success.
“We see their support, we see their love and how much they want us to win. Their support has always been instrumental to our success,” she said.
Ajibade wants that support to grow even stronger as the tournament progresses.
“We want them to replicate that energy and even double it because we need it to keep raising the standard and keep flying the flag of our nation high. We will do everything possible to make them proud,” she added.
The Super Falcons head into the Malawi clash with some confidence following a 2-1 friendly victory over Tanzania, but competitive football is a different test.
Now the points are at stake, now the pressure is real, and now the Super Falcons have to show why they are champions, for Ajibade and her teammates, the message is simple: play well, stay focused and get the job done.
Three points would be the perfect beginning to Nigeria’s WAFCON 2026 campaign. Anything less would leave the defending champions with work to do from the start.
The road to an 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title begins against Malawi, and Rasheedat Ajibade has already made Nigeria’s priority crystal clear, only three points matter.
