Good day, football fanatics! It’s Friday, July 18, 2025, and the air crackles with anticipation as two titans of African women’s football prepare to collide. The stage? The WAFCON 2024 quarterfinals. The combatants? Nigeria’s Super Falcons and Zambia’s Copper Queens. This isn’t just a game; it’s a clash of legacies, a battle for pride, and a fight for a coveted spot in the final four.
The Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca will be the arena for what promises to be an electrifying encounter. On one side, we have Nigeria, the undisputed queens of the continent, a team steeped in history and success. On the other, Zambia, a rising force, hungry to upset the established order and etch their own names into the annals of African football.
This matchup perfectly captures the shifting sands of power in women’s football on the continent. Nigeria is eager to reaffirm their dominance, while Zambia is determined to prove their recent rise wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria, boasting a glittering resume that includes nine WAFCON titles (out of 12 editions before this one), have long been the gold standard. From their first triumph in 1991 to their most recent in 2018, they’ve consistently produced legendary players like Perpetua Nkwocha, Mercy Akide, and the phenomenal Asisat Oshoala, a six-time African Women’s Player of the Year.
Zambia, meanwhile, has undergone a remarkable transformation in the last few years. Their bronze medal in 2022, achieved after a stunning 1-0 victory over Nigeria in the third-place match, was a watershed moment. It signaled that they could not only compete with the best but also defeat them.
That 2022 victory was a momentous occasion, Zambia’s first win over Nigeria in WAFCON history. Before that, the Falcons had delivered crushing defeats, including a 6-0 drubbing in 2014 and a 4-0 win in 2018. However, the emergence of Zambia’s “golden generation,” led by the dynamic trio of Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Racheal Kundananji, has transformed the narrative, shifting them from hopeful underdogs to legitimate contenders.
Both teams arrive at this crucial stage undefeated, adding even more spice to the contest.
Under the guidance of coach Justin Madugu, the Super Falcons dominated Group B, accumulating seven points without conceding a single goal. They dispatched Tunisia (3-0), eked out a victory against Botswana (1-0), and secured a draw with Algeria (0-0) thanks to their unwavering structure and steely defense.
“Our preparations have been top-notch. We know what we’re up against, and the girls are locked and loaded,” said Madugu, who took the reins after Randy Waldrum’s departure.
Zambia, coached by Swiss tactician Florence Hauptle, matched Nigeria’s point total in Group A, but finished second behind Morocco on goal difference. The Copper Queens played to a thrilling 2-2 draw against the hosts, edged Senegal 3-2 in a heart-stopping encounter, and secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over DR Congo.
“We’re ready for the next challenge,” Hauptle stated to the media in Morocco. “We have faith in our abilities and in our mentality.”
Both teams will have to overcome some challenges.
Nigeria will have to do without forward Chioma Okafor, who unfortunately fractured her hand during training.
