Former Nigeria U-20 Women’s National Team coach Napoleon Aloma believes the Super Falcons are well placed to win a record extending 11th WAFCON title in Morocco, and could go on to surpass the team’s best-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup finish at the 2027 tournament in Brazil.

Reflecting on the 25 player squad head coach Justine Madugu unveiled last weekend, Aloma, also a former Warri Wolves coach, described the group as one capable of both retaining the African title and improving on Nigeria’s quarter final finish at the 1999 Women’s World Cup. He called it a strong selection that offers real hope of the team going all the way in Morocco.

Aloma acknowledged that Nigeria has no shortage of talent in women’s football, but argued that motivation remains just as important as ability, pointing to a history of delayed allowances and unfulfilled promises to players. He raised a question rather than a firm claim, saying he was unsure whether the $150,000 bonus promised to each player after Nigeria’s 2025 WAFCON triumph had actually been paid, and said addressing such issues promptly would go a long way toward helping the team perform.

Asked why Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s football hasn’t yet translated into deep runs at the global level, Aloma pointed to the rapid global growth of the women’s game, but said Nigeria now has stronger structures in place, including an established domestic women’s league and a growing pool of experienced players based in Europe. He also noted that Nigeria has featured at every edition of the Women’s World Cup, unlike the men’s team, which has missed qualification on three occasions.

Nigeria’s best World Cup finish came in 1999 in the United States, when the Super Falcons reached the quarter finals under then coach Ismaila Mabo before losing 4-3 to Brazil in a dramatic golden goal contest. Aloma believes the current squad has the tools to go further when the tournament returns to Brazil in 2027.