Ajibade declares WAFCON readiness

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Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has declared her readiness for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, while showcasing her personal fitness routine ahead of the team’s official camping in Morocco, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

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Ajibade led Nigeria to a record-extending 10th WAFCON title in Morocco last year, where she was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

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At the 2024 edition, which was staged in July 2025, the Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Women player also won three Player of the Match awards.

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Ahead of this year’s tournament, Ajibade is poised to lead the Super Falcons’ quest for another title, having been working on her fitness privately in Mallorca, Spain, alongside her PSG teammate Jennifer Echegini and AS Roma Women forward Rinsola Babajide.

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While the Super Falcons are scheduled to open camp in Morocco on July 15, the captain shared photos from her private training sessions with her teammates.

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“Off season, on purpose. Mallorca with Nike and 292 Performance. Ready for WAFCON 2026 for God’s glory,” Ajibade wrote on X.

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Further checks by our correspondent showed that the off-season training camp, organised by 292 Performance, ran from June 8 to July 4.

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Ajibade has also had a busy off-season on and off the pitch, organising coaching clinics and other developmental programmes for grassroots coaches and footballers in Nigeria.

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The 26-year-old broke into the Super Falcons squad in 2018, winning her first WAFCON title that same year.

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She has since represented Nigeria at three WAFCON tournaments, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics.

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For this year’s WAFCON, Nigeria have been drawn in Group C alongside Malawi, Zambia and Egypt. Coach Justine Madugu’s side will begin their campaign against tournament debutants Malawi in Rabat on Tuesday, July 28.

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The 2026 WAFCON, scheduled for July 25 to August 16 in Morocco, will also serve as a qualification tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The four semi-finalists will qualify automatically for the tournament in Brazil, while the best quarter-finalist will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

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