Duro Ikhazuagbe
Nigeria’s Super Falcons are due to depart Abuja today for Australia for a 15-day training programme before they enter into camp for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament proper.
The three-time African champions will have their base at Brisbane – which is also venue for two of their matches in the group phase.
Captain of the Super Falcons, Onome Ebi, yesterday assured Nigerians that they are ready to make them proud at the World Cup.
At a send-forth dinner ceremony for the Nigerian ladies in Abuja, Onome, insisted that they are ready to make the country proud in Australia and New Zealand.
“I want to tell Nigerians that we are going to Australia, not just to participate, but to surpass our record in the last outing. I believe we will make Nigerians proud”, she said.
Nigeria’s first match of the World Cup finals is against Canada, at Melbourne’s Rectangular Stadium, on Friday, 21 July, before clashing with co-host nation Australia and Republic of Ireland on Thursday, 27 Julyand Monday, 31 Julyrespectively, at the Lang Park in Brisbane.
Australia and New Zealand 2023 will be the biggest-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in history, as it welcomes 32 teams – same number as featured in the men’s finals in Qatar last year. It is also the first to be hosted by two countries, and is the first-ever FIFA senior competition to be hosted by two countries in two different confederations: Australia is in the Asian confederation while New Zealand is in Oceania.
