Super Falcons friendly with Black Queens cancelled ahead of WAFCON
Nigeria's final preparations for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations have suffered a slight setback after the Super Falcons' highly anticipated friendly against Ghana's Black Queens was cancelled.
The fixture, popularly known as the "Jollof Derby," was scheduled for Saturday, July 18, at the Stade El Arbi Zaouli in Casablanca, Morocco, but was called off due to unforeseen circumstances.
Confirming the development on Friday evening, the Super Falcons announced on their official X account
"The friendly match between the Super Falcons and the Black Queens planned for Saturday, 18 July 2026, in Casablanca is off due to unforeseen circumstances."
The encounter was expected to provide head coach Justine Madugu with a crucial opportunity to fine-tune his squad before the start of Africa's biggest women's football tournament.
The Falcons have been camped in Casablanca since Monday, with training sessions already underway at the Stade El Arbi Zaouli. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, star striker Asisat Oshoala, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, midfielder Jennifer Echegini, defenders Glory Ogbonna, Oluwatosin Demehin, Rofiat Imuran, Shukurat Oladipo, Christy Ucheibe, alongside goalkeeper Fatima Oloko, are among the players already in camp preparing for the competition.
Nigeria head into the tournament as defending champions and Africa's most successful women's national team, having lifted a record-extending 10th WAFCON title in 2025. They will now be aiming to make history once again by securing an unprecedented 11th continental crown.
Drawn in Group C, the Super Falcons will begin their campaign against Malawi on July 28 before taking on Zambia and Egypt, with all three group matches set to be played in Rabat.
Meanwhile, the build-up to the tournament has already produced a memorable off-the-pitch moment. During a pre-WAFCON panel featuring some of Africa's biggest stars, Malawi captain Tabitha Chawinga jokingly pleaded with Nigeria not to hand her side a heavy defeat in the opening match.
After Oshoala playfully teased Tabitha and her sister Temwa Chawinga about Nigeria's dominance in African women's football, the Malawi skipper laughed and replied
"Super Falcons need to calm down. Do not give us 5-0, please. One-nil is enough."
The light-hearted exchange has since gone viral across social media, with fans applauding the friendly banter between two of the continent's biggest stars, even as Malawi prepare to challenge the defending champions.
The 14th Women's Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on July 19 and runs until August 8. Beyond the continental title, the stakes are high, with the four semi-finalists earning automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, while the fifth-placed team will secure a place in the intercontinental play-offs.
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