Kanu Reveals Super Falcons Still Reeling From WAFCON Exit

Super Falcons forward Uchenna Kanu has disclosed that Nigeria’s players are still struggling to recover emotionally from their unexpected elimination from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Falcons’ hopes of defending their continental title suffered a major setback after they were defeated 1-0 by Cameroon in the quarter-finals at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.

The result sent Cameroon through to the semi-finals, where they will face hosts Morocco, while the victory also secured the Indomitable Lionesses’ automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

For Nigeria, however, the defeat means the road to the 2027 World Cup has become more challenging, with the Super Falcons now required to go through the play-off route to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Speaking about the mood within the squad after the defeat, Kanu revealed that the players remained deeply disappointed more than a day after the final whistle.

The forward explained that the loss had affected several members of the team emotionally, with some players even struggling to eat normally.

According to Kanu, the disappointment was still fresh among the players, who had found it difficult to move on from the painful quarter-final defeat.

She said the squad had remained subdued since the match, with many players keeping to themselves as they tried to process the outcome.

Kanu noted that she was also affected by the defeat and admitted that she skipped breakfast and lunch before eventually eating later in the day.

The forward said the emotional reaction demonstrated just how much the loss meant to the players, particularly because Nigeria had entered the competition hoping to retain the WAFCON title.

The quarter-final defeat ended the Super Falcons’ bid for another continental triumph and left the team facing the pressure of securing a place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup through the remaining qualification route.

Nigeria, one of Africa’s most successful women’s football teams, will now have to regroup quickly as the players prepare for the crucial World Cup play-offs.