Nigeria forward Rinsola Babajide and coach Justin Madugu believe the expansion of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations to 16 teams will make this year's tournament more competitive, while creating fresh opportunities for women's football across the continent.
CAF's flagship women's championship, which began in 1998 with eight teams, will feature 16 teams for the first time ever after the Confederation of African Football approved an expansion from 12 finalists. kicks off in Morocco from July 26 to August 16.
The tournament will also serve as Africa's qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, with the four semi-finalists earning automatic qualification and two more teams advancing to the intercontinental playoffs.
Babajide, who helped Nigeria win its record-extending continental title in Morocco at the previous edition and recently won the Serie A Femminile title with AS Roma, welcomed the larger field and said it would increase the level of competition while leaving the Super Falcons' objective unchanged.
"I think it makes it more exciting," Babajide told the NFF. "We all know that this year's Women AFCON is also for qualification to the World Cup finals. Of course, we all want to be there. I think it will make it more competitive but for us, the goal remains the same.
"For us as a team, whether we are playing just to be crowned champions of Africa or for qualification to next year's World Cup, the pressure is the same as we want to win.
"The only pressure actually is the one we put on ourselves. We know what we signed up for as professionals and being the defending champions, we want to retain our trophy."
Madugu, for his part, sees the benefits as extending well beyond the title race and more about expanding the frontiers of the women's game on the continent.
"For me, it is a very positive development because expanding WAFCON to 16 teams allows more countries to experience the competition and showcase the progress they have made in developing women's football," he said in an interview with CAF.
"It will also help grow the game across the continent because more nations will have the chance to measure themselves against the best, assess their level of investment, and identify areas where they can improve.
"Beyond the teams, it creates a bigger platform for players to showcase their abilities, improve their careers, and attract more opportunities."
The expansion is the latest step in the evolution of a competition that has mirrored the growth of women's football in Africa.
The inaugural championship in 1998 featured eight teams. That number increased to 12 teams beginning with the 2022 tournament before CAF approved a further increase to 16 teams for this edition, saying the move aligns with its strategy of broadening participation and accelerating development across the continent.
"The expansion will also encourage more investment in women's football because people will be able to see the level of work being done across different countries and understand the importance of supporting the growth of the women's game," Madugu said.
Nigeria has been the dominant force throughout that history, winning a record ten continental titles and qualifying for every edition of the tournament. The Super Falcons will again enter Morocco as defending champions.
For Babajide, the tournament also represents another chapter in a career that has blended English football with international success for Nigeria. The winger, who recently won the Italian Serie A Femminile title with AS Roma, said her experiences in both countries have shaped her development.
She said: "I've been blessed to have the best of two worlds. England helped me develop my game from age-grade football; I am forever grateful for that. I have continued to grow as an experienced player with Nigeria and I do not take this for granted.
"I have learnt resilience and professionalism in both environments and these make me a better player and a better person. We know what it takes to win and as a team, we will give it our all in Morocco to retain the trophy. We are all determined to make Nigeria proud in Morocco."
