Nigeria have been eliminated from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nation, WAFCON, following a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon.

The two West African rivals clashed in a quarter-final fixture on Sunday evening.

The game was decided by a stunning free-kick scored by Myriam Maéva Nyadjou Wamen in the 19th minute.

Although the Super Falcons battled to get an equalizer and take the game to extra time, they failed to find the back of the net.

The result means that Justine Madugu’s ladies will not defend the title they won against Morocco at the last WAFCON.

Nigeria will now play South Africa on Thursday in Casablanca, with a place in the Inter-Confederation playoff tournament at stake.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons are set to arrive in Casablanca on Friday ahead of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-final clash against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.

The last-eight encounter will take place at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 6 p.m. Nigerian time.

The defending champions held a training session at the ASFAR Training Centre in Rabat on Friday morning as they stepped up preparations for the crucial fixture.

Should they progress to the semi-finals, Justine Madugu’s side will return to Rabat to face either hosts Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses or defending champions South Africa’s Banyana Banyana.

According to a report by Metro on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Argentina could face FIFA punishment after their players displayed a banner referencing the Falkland Islands following their World Cup semi-final victory over England.

Argentina secured a place in Sunday’s World Cup final after defeating England 2-1 in a dramatic encounter in Atlanta. The defending champions came from behind after Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the 55th minute, with Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez scoring late goals to complete the comeback.

However, celebrations after the match have attracted attention after Argentina midfielder Giovani Lo Celso held up a banner with the message “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, which translates as “The Falklands are Argentine”

The banner refers to the long-running dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, including the 74-day war in 1982 which resulted in the deaths of 255 British servicemen and 649 Argentinian personnel.

Throughout the World Cup, Argentina players and supporters have included references to the Falkland Islands in songs. Ahead of the semi-final, Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul addressed the subject, saying the team remembered those who died but insisted the match against England was still a football contest.

Following the victory, Argentina’s players displayed the banner as they celebrated reaching the final, where they will face Spain. England, meanwhile, will play France in the third-place play-off.

FIFA regulations prohibit political statements at matches organised by the governing body. The organisation’s rules state that political or provocative messages are not permitted inside stadiums.

Argentina have previously faced punishment for displaying a similar message. In 2014, the Argentine Football Association was fined £19,540 after players held up a banner with the same wording before a friendly match against Slovenia.

At the time, FIFA confirmed that the punishment was issued after the AFA was found to have breached regulations relating to political actions and team misconduct.

The issue comes after a tense semi-final between England and Argentina, which saw emotions run high both during and after the match.

Argentina will now prepare for their World Cup final against Spain on Sunday as they aim to defend the title they won in 2022, while England will face France in the third-place play-off on Saturday.

Ashleigh Plumptre has dismissed information surrounding her mis out in the Super Falcon WAFCON match

Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre has clarified that reports circulating on a Facebook page bearing her name are completely false and do not represent her views.

The Super Falcons star stressed that she is not on Facebook and never made comments claiming she was omitted from the Super Falcons’ WAFCON squad because she refused to meet demands allegedly made by officials.

Plumptre is currently recovering from a successful surgery she underwent in late March to address a persistent foot injury. The 27-year-old is undergoing rehabilitation in the United Kingdom under the supervision of Al-Ittihad’s medical team and is expected to remain sidelined for a few more months.

Her absence from the Super Falcons squad is therefore injury-related and not connected to any of the claims being circulated online.

Wishing Ashleigh a full and speedy recovery! 💚🤍

⚠️ Fans are also advised to be cautious of fake social media accounts and misleading reports.

AshleighPlumptre #SuperFalcons #WAFCON2026 #NigeriaFootball #9jaSportsArena🇳🇬 DISMISSES FAKE FACEBOOK CLAIMS

Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre has clarified that reports circulating on a Facebook page bearing her name are completely false and do not represent her views.

The Super Falcons star stressed that she is not on Facebook and never made comments claiming she was omitted from the Super Falcons’ WAFCON squad because she refused to meet demands allegedly made by officials.

Plumptre is currently recovering from a successful surgery she underwent in late March to address a persistent foot injury. The 27-year-old is undergoing rehabilitation in the United Kingdom under the supervision of Al-Ittihad’s medical team and is expected to remain sidelined for a few more months.

Her absence from the Super Falcons squad is therefore injury-related and not connected to any of the claims being circulated online.

Wishing Ashleigh a full and speedy recovery!

Fans are also advised to be cautious of fake social media accounts and misleading reports.

According to a report by Football.london, on Saturday June 20, 2026, Thierry Henry has revealed the real reason behind his departure from Arsenal in 2007, insisting that his decision to join Barcelona had nothing to do with money.

The former France international ended an eight-year spell in north London when he completed a move to the Spanish giants for a fee reported to be around £16 million.

By that point, Henry had already secured his place in Arsenal’s history, scoring 226 goals in 370 appearances and playing a central role in two Premier League title-winning campaigns, including the famous “Invincibles” season.

At the time, many believed the switch to Spain was financially motivated, particularly given the lucrative contract he signed at Barcelona.

However, speaking in a recent interview, Henry explained that his desire to compete at the highest level was the driving force behind his decision.

“Competing is above everything,” he said. “I love, love, love Arsenal, but competing is above everything for me, especially competing in training.

“People always say, ‘You love Arsenal so much, so why did you leave?’ I say, ‘I love my family, but I left my house.’ Because competing is key.”

Henry admitted he was fully aware that his place in the Barcelona starting line-up was not guaranteed, but that uncertainty only increased his motivation.

“I didn’t know if I was going to start,” he added. “I was told I wasn’t going to start. I was excited. Competing is everything, when I don’t compete, I’m not the same.”

The move initially proved challenging, with Henry taking time to adapt to a new system and environment. He even acknowledged missing life in England during his early months in Spain.

However, his fortunes soon improved as he formed a formidable attacking partnership with Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o.

That trio played a pivotal role in Barcelona’s historic 2008–09 campaign, helping the club secure La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League in a remarkable treble-winning season.

Henry went on to score 49 goals during his three-year spell at Barcelona before leaving in 2010, bringing an end to one of the most successful chapters of his career