The FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is currently underway with 32 participating nations. Africa has four representatives in the tournament: Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Morocco.
Let’s take a closer look at each team’s profile.
Nigeria
Nigeria was the first African team to take the field at the 2023 FIFA World Cup, following the tournament’s opening games on Thursday, which saw co-hosts Australia and New Zealand triumph over the Republic of Ireland and Norway with identical 1-0 wins.
Nigeria boasts the most seasoned squad among Africa’s four representatives, having participated in the previous eight World Cup editions in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019.
The Super Falcons, as they are commonly referred to, are Africa’s most successful team at the World Cup, with their quarterfinal performance in 1999 still unmatched by any other team from the continent. Of the eight tournaments, they managed the quarterfinal 24 years ago and the Round of 16 in 2019, while the other six tournaments saw them exit at the group stage.
The team’s coach, Randy Waldrum, who took charge in October 2020, is facing pressure to achieve good results after Nigeria’s disappointing performance in the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, where they failed to defend their title and came fourth.
The Super Falcons were in Group B, alongside Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland as co-hosts. Their campaign began with a goalless draw against Canada on Friday morning.
South Africa
One of the teams to watch in the upcoming tournament is South Africa, which claimed the title of African champion.
Banyana Banyana, or “The Girls,” are making their second consecutive World Cup appearance, having previously debuted four years ago in France, where they did not secure a single win.
As reigning African champions, South Africa is under pressure to improve their dismal performance in 2019, where they conceded eight goals while only scoring one. They have been working hard to strengthen their defence for the 2023 tournament, where they are competing in Group G against Argentina, Italy, and Sweden.
Banyana Banyana plays under experienced coach Desiree Ellis, a former midfielder who managed 32 caps for South Africa and has been in charge since February 2018. Ellis has been named Africa Women’s Coach of the Year three times (in 2018; 2019; and 2022).
Zambia
The 2023 tournament is Zambia’s debut Women’s World Cup event. In their last three friendly matches, the Zambian team, known as the Copa Queens, proved they were not to be underestimated.
They lost a close game 3-2 against the Republic of Ireland, drew 3-3 with Switzerland, and then shocked two-time world champions Germany with a 3-2 victory in early July.
Zambia’s success has been on a steady rise, starting with their win against Cameroon to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They then showed great resilience to secure third place in the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup by defeating the highly respected Nigeria in the playoff, ultimately earning themselves the bronze medal.
The third-place finish was their best at a continental championship while reaching the tournament’s semi-final earned them a ticket to the World Cup for the first time.
Former Zambia international Bruce Mwape has been their coach since 2018, and the Coppa Queens seem to be reaping the fruits of his extended stay. Zambia is in Group C alongside Spain, Costa Rica, and Japan, with their first match against the Japanese on July 22.
Morocco
Morocco also made their debut appearance at a World Cup, having earned their ticket by reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, which they hosted and finishing in second place.
Despite being relatively new to this stage, the Atlas Lionesses have several experienced players who play for some of the top teams in Europe. They possess one of the strongest defences in the tournament, as demonstrated by keeping three clean sheets against Italy, Switzerland, and Jamaica during their final friendly matches before the World Cup.
Reynald Pedros, a two-time UEFA Champions League winner with Lyon, leads the team to navigate a tough group that includes two-time world champions Germany, Colombia, and South Korea.
North Africa hopes Morocco succeeds where Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia had forgettable World Cup outings in the past.
Story Credit: Joel Omotto, bird story agency