Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face Senegal in back-to-back international friendlies at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State on June 5 and 8, replacing a cancelled Jamaica fixture and giving the defending WAFCON champions their first confirmed preparation programme ahead of the Morocco tournament in July.
Super Falcons vs Senegal — Friendly 1: June 5, 2026 | Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne
Super Falcons vs Senegal — Friendly 2: June 8, 2026 | Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne
Confirmed via the Super Falcons Show X handle
Jamaica friendly (England): Cancelled — dates fell outside FIFA Women’s International Window (June 1-9)
WAFCON 2026: Morocco, July 26 – August 16 | Nigeria in Group C
The Super Falcons’ WAFCON preparation has found its footing. After a planned double-header against Jamaica in England was cancelled when the Jamaica Football Federation confirmed the dates fell outside the FIFA Women’s International Window — meaning clubs would not have been obligated to release players — a domestic solution has been found. Senegal will make the trip to Ikenne for two matches in the first week of June, giving the defending champions competitive preparation within Nigeria’s borders ahead of the most important fixture calendar of the women’s football year.
The choice of the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne as the venue carries its own significance in the context of the 2025-26 Nigerian football calendar. The stadium, which has been one of the NPFL’s better-appointed grounds during the domestic season, now becomes the venue for the Super Falcons’ most important pre-tournament preparation, giving the squad a familiar Nigerian environment while benefiting from the ground’s modern facilities.
Super Falcons supporters following the WAFCON build-up can use the Bet9ja WAFCON preparation code to stay connected with all national team news as the June friendlies and the Morocco tournament approach.
Why Senegal Is The Right Opponent
Senegal’s inclusion as the friendly opponent is not random. The Teranga Lionnes are in WAFCON Group A alongside Morocco, Algeria and Kenya, making them a direct opponent Nigeria could encounter in the knockout stages if both nations advance from their respective groups. A double-header against Senegal gives the Super Falcons technical staff two opportunities to study their tactical approaches, pressing structures, and personnel preferences while also testing the Nigerian squad in competitive-intensity conditions.
Senegal have been one of the more consistently improving women’s football nations on the continent in recent years, with a growing number of their players active in professional leagues in France, Spain and the United States. The Teranga Lionnes’ participation in WAFCON gives them continental relevance, and their status as Group A opponents of hosts Morocco means they will be among the better-prepared sides in the tournament. Facing them twice in June is a more rigorous preparation than a friendly against weaker opposition would provide.
WAFCON 2026 Group Stage Picture
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| Group C | Nigeria, Malawi, Zambia, Egypt |
| Group A | Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Kenya |
| Group B | To be confirmed |
| Group D | To be confirmed |
The Super Falcons’ Group C placement alongside Malawi, Zambia and Egypt gives them a manageable path to the knockout stages on paper. Nigeria have beaten all three of those nations in recent competitive encounters and arrive in Morocco as defending champions. The top four teams across the tournament will qualify directly for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with two further spots going to inter-confederation play-off participants. Reaching the semi-finals, at minimum, is the expectation for a side that has won WAFCON eleven times and is defending the most recent edition. Readers looking forward to WAFCON can check the Bet9ja YOHAIG pre-tournament offer for the best current registration deal ahead of the Morocco competition.
The Jamaica Cancellation Explained
The Jamaica friendly, which had been planned for England in late May, fell apart when the JFF issued an official statement explaining that the proposed dates of May 27, 28 or 30 fell outside the FIFA Women’s International Window scheduled for June 1 to 9. Under FIFA regulations, clubs are only obligated to release players for international duty during official windows, meaning any fixture outside those dates requires clubs’ voluntary cooperation, which cannot be guaranteed. The JFF framed its statement as a commitment to FIFA compliance rather than a rejection of the fixture itself, noting that discussions had continued in the hope of finding workable dates.
The practical consequence for the Super Falcons was a gap in their pre-WAFCON preparation schedule that the Senegal double-header now fills. Former Nigerian international Madugu had commented earlier in the week that most African teams are not ready to play the Super Falcons in friendlies, a reflection of Nigeria’s standing as the continent’s most decorated women’s national team and the psychological challenge that represents for potential opponents. Senegal’s willingness to travel to Ikenne for two matches suggests a team that is using the opportunity to test themselves rather than avoiding the challenge.
What These Matches Mean For The Squad
The June 5 and 8 fixtures at Ikenne give the Super Falcons coaching staff two important opportunities beyond simply preparing tactically for WAFCON. The double-header falls within the FIFA Women’s International Window, which means professional clubs across Europe and the United States will be obligated to release their Super Falcons players for the fixtures, giving head coach Nkechi Obi and her technical staff the full squad depth available to them rather than a reduced group of domestically-based players.
That full availability matters for selection decisions heading into Morocco. The WAFCON squad will need to be confirmed before the tournament begins, and two competitive-intensity matches against a quality Senegalese side give every player in contention an opportunity to make their case for a final slot. Players who are in form at club level but have not had recent senior Nigeria exposure will be tested alongside established regulars, and the coaching staff will have concrete live evidence of squad combinations and tactical flexibility before the tournament’s opening fixtures against Malawi.
As reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng, the Super Falcons enter their WAFCON defence having also collected the Women’s National Team of the Year award at the 2025 CAF Awards ceremony in Rabat, with goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie retaining her Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year title. The June friendlies against Senegal represent the first step in a preparation programme that will build through late June and early July before the squad arrives in Morocco for the tournament. Fans following every step of the WAFCON journey can also use the Bet9ja women’s football page for the latest offers as the tournament approaches.
📌 Did You Know?
- Nigeria’s Super Falcons are the most decorated women’s national team in African football history, having won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations a record eleven times. Their 2024 triumph came in dramatic circumstances, with the Falcons staging a comeback to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final, a result that extended their record to double figures in the competition.
- The Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, which will host both June friendlies, was one of the most talked-about venues in the 2025-26 NPFL season given Remo Stars’ dramatic relegation survival battle. The ground has modern facilities and is considered one of the better-appointed club stadiums in the Nigerian football pyramid.
- Senegal’s women’s national team, the Teranga Lionnes, have been participating in WAFCON regularly since 2018 and have grown considerably as a competitive force in recent years. Several of their players are active in professional leagues in France, Spain, and the United States, giving the squad a technical profile that makes them a genuinely challenging friendly opponent for Nigeria.
- The 2026 WAFCON in Morocco will double as the African qualification tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The top four finishers will qualify automatically, with two additional spots going through inter-confederation play-offs, making the Morocco tournament among the highest-stakes WAFCON editions in recent history.
- The FIFA Women’s International Window for June 2026, within which the Ikenne friendlies have been scheduled, runs from June 1 to 9. By scheduling both fixtures within this window, the NFF ensures that Super Falcons players at European and American professional clubs are legally required to be released for international duty by their clubs.
- Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz, whose planned fixture with the Super Falcons was cancelled, qualified for their first FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019 and have been one of the more prominent Caribbean women’s football programmes in recent years. The JFF’s statement on the cancellation emphasised FIFA compliance and transparency rather than any reluctance to face Nigeria.
- Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who retained her CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award at the 2025 ceremony in Rabat, is one of the key figures around whom the Super Falcons’ WAFCON defence will be built. Her consistent performances for both club and country across the 2025-26 season have confirmed her status as one of the continent’s best goalkeepers at any level of the game.
