Issues of racism have overshadowed Nigeria’s opening fixture at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations following a theft incident involving the Super Falcons at the team’s hotel in Casablanca.
Super Falcons striker, Esther Okoronkwo, became the target of racist abuse from some Moroccan social media users after she made the incident public online.
However, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said the team remains unfazed and fully focused on the task of successfully defending its WAFCON title, beginning with today’s Group C opener against Malawi at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat.
In a statement, the NFF condemned the racist abuse, stressing that any form of discrimination in football is unacceptable and has no place in the game.
The Federation also revealed that the suspect involved in the theft has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, while the stolen cash has been recovered and returned in full.
The NFF added that the safety, dignity, and well-being of the players remain its top priority, assuring Nigerians that the team is united and fully focused on its WAFCON campaign.
Nigeria is drawn in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt, and Malawi in the expanded 16-team tournament.
Elsewhere, Tanzania produced the biggest upset of the tournament so far on Monday, defeating 2023 WAFCON champions South Africa by 2–1 in their opening Group B fixture.
In the other Group B match, Ivory Coast recorded a convincing 4–1 victory over Burkina Faso.
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(Editor: Ken Eseni)
