Oshoala Urges Nigerians To Back Super Falcons In Crucial World Cup Play-off

Asisat Oshoala has called on Nigerians to throw their weight behind the Super Falcons as they prepare to face South Africa in a crucial 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off on Thursday.

TVC News reports that the Super Falcons lost their chance to secure automatic qualification after suffering a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.

The result means Nigeria must now navigate a more difficult path to the World Cup, with the team among four WAFCON quarter-final losers set to compete in two knockout play-off matches.

The winners of the play-offs will advance to the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament, where three World Cup places will be up for grabs.

In a report by Punch, Oshoala acknowledged the disappointment surrounding the Falcons’ campaign but said the players remained determined to recover from the setback and secure qualification.

She urged Nigerians to continue supporting the team as they prepare for the decisive clash with South Africa, stressing the importance of national backing with the Falcons’ World Cup hopes on the line.

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“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.

“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.”

The Falcons are in unfamiliar territory, having never missed a Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1991. Nigeria are also one of only seven teams to have appeared at all nine editions of the competition.

That record is now in danger, with the 10-time African champions needing to successfully negotiate the play-off route to maintain their unbroken presence at the global tournament.

Their struggles at the WAFCON have also highlighted the narrowing gap in African women’s football. Nigeria, who entered the tournament as defending champions and the continent’s most successful side, suffered defeats by Malawi and Cameroon.

Oshoala believes those results should serve as a warning that Nigeria can no longer rely solely on their historical dominance.

“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.