Sports
Super Falcons Begin WAFCON Title Defence On Sunday
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will begin their campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) against Malawi on Sunday in Morocco as they seek a record-extending 11th continental title.
The tournament, originally scheduled for March, will hold from July 26 to Aug. 16, with 16 teams competing for Africa’s women’s football title.
Nigeria, the defending champions and Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team, are drawn in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt and Malawi.
The Super Falcons will face Malawi in their opening match on July 27 before taking on Zambia on July 31 and Egypt on Aug. 4.
Coach Justin Madugu has retained a blend of experienced and emerging players for the tournament as Nigeria seeks to maintain its dominance in African women’s football.
Among the key players expected to feature are captain Rasheedat Ajibade, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, and forwards Asisat Oshoala, Chinwendu Ihezuo, Esther Okoronkwo and Folashade Ijamilusi.
Zambia are widely regarded as Nigeria’s strongest challengers in the group, with reigning BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Barbra Banda and striker Racheal Kundananji leading their attack.
Nigeria defeated Zambia 5-0 in the quarter-finals of the previous WAFCON tournament.
Egypt return to the competition after missing the last edition, while Malawi will make their debut at the expanded tournament.
Madugu said the team remained focused in spite of Nigeria’s successful record in the competition.
“We know every team now believes they can challenge Nigeria. We have to earn every victory through discipline, hard work and consistency,” he said.
The tournament also serves as part of the qualification process for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The four semi-finalists will qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the losing quarter-finalists will compete for two places in the intercontinental playoffs.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also increased the tournament prize money.
The winners will receive two million dollars, while the total prize fund has been increased to 5.8 million dollars, as each participating country will receive 150,000 dollars.
Host nation Morocco, runners-up at the last edition, are among the favourites for the title under coach Jorge Vilda.
South Africa, champions in 2022, and Ghana, who return after missing the previous edition, are also expected to challenge for honours.
The competition will be played at five stadiums in Rabat and Casablanca.
The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarter-finals, with the knockout stage scheduled to begin on Aug. 8.
Nigeria has won 10 of the 13 editions of the competition since it was introduced in 1998 and will be aiming to extend that record in Morocco.
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Manchester United co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has blocked Marcus Rashford from joining any direct Premier League rival.
According to the UK Mirror, the Red Devils are determined to avoid a scenario where Rashford shines at a domestic competitor.
The 28-year-old is back at Carrington for pre-season training following a loan spell at Barcelona, but his long-term future at Old Trafford remains uncertain.
Ratcliffe wants to remove Rashford from United’s wage bill, but he won’t sanction a move to the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City or Liverpool
The restrictions extend to loan inquiries, as Chelsea, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur have been rebuffed.
There is fear among United senior officials that Rashford could prove instrumental in helping a rival secure a Champions League spot, a scenario that would be viewed as ’embarrassing’ by the club’s top brass.
Super Falcons coach Justin Madugu and star striker Asisat Oshoala have promised a determined effort to secure a World Cup berth through the playoffs after a painful exit from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria got eliminated from the WAFCON after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
The loss carried significant consequences, ending their quest for a record 11th continental title and denying them an automatic qualification spot for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
The Super Falcons now face a more challenging path to the global tournament, beginning with a crucial continental playoff match against South Africa on Thursday.
Coach Madugu acknowledged the team’s disappointment but assured fans that the players are focused on redemption.
He referenced the national heartbreak following the men’s team, the Super Eagles, failing to qualify for their World Cup and stressed the team’s desire to avoid a similar outcome.
“We have a second chance, and we will give it our all,” Madugu told ESPN. “We do not want to disappoint and go the same way as the men. We’ll do our best to make sure we go through the playoffs.”
Cristiano Ronaldo has officially married his longtime partner Georgina Rodríguez, bringing nine years of their relationship to a new chapter with an intimate ceremony in Portugal.
The Al Nassr superstar and Rodríguez tied the knot on August 11, 2026, exactly one year after announcing their engagement.
Ronaldo and Rodríguez were married in a private civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, with their five children present for the occasion.
The couple announced the news simultaneously on their Instagram accounts, sharing a photograph of their hands displaying matching gold wedding bands alongside the caption “C❤️G.”
A representative for Ronaldo confirmed the marriage, saying: “Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez were married today in a civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, and are now officially husband and wife.”
The intimate nature of the ceremony contrasted sharply with the intense speculation that had surrounded the couple’s wedding plans in recent weeks.
Reports had previously suggested that Ronaldo and Rodríguez could marry at Funchal Cathedral in Madeira, prompting more than 2,000 fans to reportedly gather outside the church.
However, the crowd had been misled by the rumours and accidentally turned up for the wedding of a local couple, Nicole and Fabio. The couple had also been forced to deal with a fake wedding invitation circulating online as speculation about their big day continued to grow.
How Ronaldo met Georgina Rodríguez
Ronaldo and Rodríguez first met in 2016 when the Argentine-Spanish model was working at a Gucci store in Madrid.
Rodríguez later revealed in her Netflix documentary Soy Georgina that their first meeting happened unexpectedly after she was asked to assist a VIP customer.
She had originally been preparing to leave work earlier that day but was asked to stay behind.
“I was finally able to leave the shop to go home three hours later than I should have and as I was getting ready to leave Cristiano came in with his eldest son and some friends,” she recalled.
What began with an unexpected meeting at a Madrid fashion store eventually developed into one of football’s most high-profile relationships.
Nine years later, Ronaldo and Rodríguez have officially become husband and wife, celebrating the milestone privately with the people closest to them.
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