10-time champions begin title defence against Scorchers

Ten-time African champions Nigeria, the Super Falcons, commence their title defense at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations against debutants Malawi on Tuesday. Coach Justin Madugu stated that nothing less than victory will satisfy the team, emphasizing their ultimate goal is to win all their matches.

Nigeria enters the tournament in formidable form, having secured victories in eight of their last nine games across all competitions. Their preparations concluded with a 2-1 win over Tanzania, featuring a goal from captain Rasheedat Ajibade and a late winner from Esther Okoronkwo. The Super Falcons are aiming to secure an unprecedented 11th continental title, having narrowly defeated hosts Morocco 3-2 in a dramatic final two years ago.

In contrast, Malawi, known as the Scorchers, arrives in Morocco having lost five of their last six matches, including a significant 4-0 defeat to Ghana in their final warm-up. This marks their first appearance in the tournament, and they have struggled offensively, failing to score in four of their last six games. Despite their recent struggles, Malawi has shown potential, including a draw against Zambia and a convincing win over Angola in their final qualifying match.

“

Usually when you prepare for a competition, and you go for any tournament, your ultimate goal is to win. You approach every game as it comes and try as much as possible to make sure that you win all your games. For every match that we go into, the ultimate goal is to ensure that we win.

Nigeria is expected to be without defender Ashleigh Plumptre due to injury, but their squad remains strong, with Ajibade and Okoronkwo poised to lead the attack. Malawi may rely on the attacking prowess of sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga.

The team's preparations were marred by an incident where forward Okoronkwo alleged that $700 was stolen from her hotel room, with other teammates also reportedly affected. Following her social media posts about the theft, Okoronkwo faced racist abuse online. Despite this, she took to Instagram to condemn the abuse, stating, "Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. We move forward with pride, unity and determination."

Following their opening match against Malawi, the Super Falcons will face Zambia and Egypt in Group C.

“

Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. We move forward with pride, unity and determination. See you on the pitch.