Women’s Football Has Never Been More Competitive

Whatever the outcome of the Women’s African Cup of Nations (Wafcon) final on Saturday in which Nigeria faces Morocco, the days of the west African nation’s sole dominance of women’s football in Africa has ended.

Nigeria’s return to the pinnacle of the important Africa-wide tournament should not be read as a continuation of the country’s dominance on the field. Yes, Nigeria has now won Wafcon nine times in 12 competitions. As it guns for its 10th championship, the Super Falcons have tagged their attempt as #Mission X on social media.

Whether the mission is successful or not, the undercurrent storyline at this year’s Wafcon in Morocco is the increasing improvement of women’s football all around the continent. Unlike the previous years of Nigeria’s triumphs, this year featured numerous challenges to its usual domination.

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Notably, Nigeria was not the defending champion at this year’s event. That title belonged to South Africa, arguably the best African women’s team for the last few years. Banyana Banyana won the last Wafcon in 2022 after beating Morocco. The only other Wafcons not won by Nigeria happened in 2008 and 2012, when Equatorial Guinea lifted the trophy after beating South Africa and Nigeria, respectively.

As a scholar of African women’s football I have followed the event closely since its inception. In my view, even though Nigeria may end up regaining its throne as continental champion, it’s increasingly clear that there are now multiple challengers ready and able to take it from them.

5 signs that Nigeria is no longer the only dominant force

There are five clear signs that indicate a challenge to Nigeria’s dominance is not only emerging, but is already arriving.

1. For the first time, Nigeria laboured through several of its games to reach the championship stage. In fact all but two games were a struggle for the Super Falcons. The first sign was a difficult 1-0 win over Botswana with the winning goal coming very late in the game. Nigeria struggled to a goalless draw against Algeria in another group game.

2. Although Morocco also laboured, at home, struggling through a penalty-shootout win against Ghana, it has now reached its second straight Wafcon championship game. Nigeria may be favoured to win the trophy, but Morocco will make it difficult. The north African country has built a strong women’s team – the Atlas Lionesses – which made history to reach the second round of the Women’s Football World Cup in 2023. Moroccan club Asfar won the continental cup for women’s clubs in 2022. Morocco could become the new dominant team in the women’s game in Africa, a title South Africa is also keen to claim.

3. Three of six games in the knockout stage at Wafcon have gone to overtime and penalty kicks. A fourth was decided just before full-time. Although a fifth, Morocco versus Mali, ended 3-1 to Morocco, it took a fluke late goal to determine the margin. What do those results tell us? Clearly, the gap between teams has shrunk. Even Nigeria’s 5-0 win over Zambia in the earlier rounds was expected to be as competitive as any other, with Zambia featuring two of Africa’s deadliest forwards on the team sheet.

4. Sponsors of women’s national and club teams have been few and far between, impacting on development. Morocco and South Africa have generally led in this regard. But with assistance from the Confederation for African Football (Caf) and world football body Fifa, as well as some new private sponsors, women’s football in Africa is attracting more money, as well as global broadcasting interest.

5. The rise of academies for girls’ football in Africa and Caf’s requirements that clubs registered for its men’s club competition must have affiliated women teams are bearing fruit. At a national level, South Africa’s football bosses have made it a requirement that clubs registering boys teams for Under 13 competition must also register a girls’ team at the same age level. This focus on development will take time to fully pay off, but it will further even the playing fields all round.

Bright future

Wafcon has shown that women’s football in Africa is increasingly competitive. If this year’s competition proves a point, it’s that the gap between the top and lower ranked teams is shrinking.

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Women’s football in Nigeria has a long history of defiance

This has happened even without the final stage presence of three of the usual power teams – Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire – who were knocked out early in the competition.

Nigeria’s domination of women’s football in Africa is coming to an end. The future holds bright opportunities for several other women’s national teams.

Chuka Onwumechili does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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