Nigeria’s Super Falcons has been crowned Women’s Team of the Year at the 2025 CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco on Wednesday night, cementing their status as the continent’s biggest force in women’s football. The recognition comes off the back of a superb run at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where they stormed to a record extending tenth title.
The nine time World Cup campaigners finished the tournament in ruthless fashion, lifting the trophy on Moroccan soil and reminding the rest of Africa exactly why they remain the team to beat. Their dominance was never really in doubt, and the award felt like confirmation rather than surprise, given how comfortably they controlled the competition.
Nigeria saw off strong competition from Ghana’s Black Queens and tournament hosts Morocco, both of whom enjoyed standout years of their own. Even so, the Falcons’ consistency across qualifying, group stages and the knockout rounds pushed them miles ahead in the voting. Another title, another CAF crown same old story.
The Super Falcons’ squad blended seasoned veterans with a new wave of emerging talent, a mix that has carried the team through periods when many thought the gap to the rest of Africa was closing. Players like Chiamaka Nnadozie, Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne played huge roles, while returning stars added leadership and experience behind the scenes. That depth proved vital when matches got tight.
Off the pitch, the Falcons continue to serve as a lightning rod for discussions around player welfare, investment in women’s football and fair compensation. Their push for better conditions has at times put them at odds with officials back home, but there’s a growing belief their success is forcing a shift in how women’s sport is treated across Nigeria. Winning trophies is one thing, changing systems might be even bigger.
CAF’s recognition reflects that wider impact. It’s not just silverware, it’s influence. It’s how the Falcons help shape opportunities for young girls kicking footballs from Lagos to Abuja to Kaduna, and how they’ve given Nigeria one of its most reliable sporting success stories, sometimes even when the men’s teams has struggled.
With qualification campaigns and fresh international fixtures around the corner, attention now turns to what comes next. The Falcons, now seen as the standard-bearers of the continent once again, will be expected to not only defend their African crown but push for deeper runs on the global stage. After all, the one thing missing is a major breakthrough at the World Cup, something many within African football believe is finally within reach if the structure around the team improves.
For now, the award serves as another reminder of their legacy. Ten African titles, countless legends produced, and a squad still hungry for more. The Super Falcons aren’t just champions, they’re an institution.
And they’re nowhere near finished.
