Nigeria’s captain, Onome Ebi, believes the Super Falcons are ready to make history at the upcoming Australia & New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup. Ebi, who is 40 years old and has represented Nigeria in five previous World Cups, expressed her ambitions for the tournament and shared her secrets to maintaining longevity in the sport.
Nigeria, having qualified for the Women’s World Cup nine times, will compete in Group B against Australia, the Republic of Ireland, and Canada. Ebi spoke about the team’s objectives, stating that they aim to surpass their performance in the 2019 World Cup and have their sights set on reaching the semi-finals. She highlighted the team’s high-quality, experienced players, as well as the talented youngsters within the squad.
Ebi’s leadership in the Super Falcons’ defense could propel the team to exceed the achievements of Nigeria’s 1999 Women’s World Cup squad, which reached the quarterfinals and became the first African team to do so.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup will feature 32 teams in the group stage, with the field narrowing down to 16 teams for the knockout stage. The tournament will span 15 days, with multiple matches scheduled each day. In case of ties, tiebreakers such as goal difference and head-to-head results will be used to determine standings.
With the group stage set and preparations in place, Nigeria’s captain and the team as a whole are eager to seize the opportunity and showcase their talent on the world stage.