Nigeria are intent, as always, on winning the Women's Africa Cup of Nations title and extending their record haul to 11, but for star forward Asisat Oshoala, lifting another trophy would represent only part of the tournament's success.
The six-time African Women's Footballer of the Year, who is chasing her fifth tournament title, believes that the tournament has reached a point where it needs evolve, starting with getting more people through the turnstiles and making it a bigger spectacle for the rest of the world to see.
"I'm looking forward to Nigeria winning it again," Oshoala said during a CAF media roundtable.
"That's always the goal, but with every edition there also has to be improvement, both on and off the pitch. I'd love to see more fans in the stadiums, more marketing, more commercial opportunities.
"The last edition generated a lot of attention online and the media coverage was better than previous tournaments. If there's even more promotion this time, it will help spread African women's football to people who still don't know enough about it."
Oshoala is uniquely placed to call for that transformation. Starting from when she made her first appearance at the tournament in 2014, the forward watched African women's football evolve from an era when opportunities outside the continent were scarce, to one in which African stars are among the biggest names in the global game.
"It's been an amazing journey for me personally," the former Barcelona star said. "I've experienced the growth of women's football in Africa from when I started playing until now, and I've also been able to compare it with other continents where I've played. It's been really impressive.
"Of course, there's still room for improvement. There are many things that can get better. But I think we're on the right path."
That improvement starts with building on the atmosphere from the previous final in Morocco, which Oshoala says was evidence of both how far the tournament has come and how much further it can still go.
"The Final had an amazing atmosphere," she said. "But before then, unless Morocco were playing, the stadiums weren't always full.
"That's where awareness and media work become important. I'd like to see even more media coverage that reaches new audiences."
Her observations carry weight because few players have experienced African women's football's modern rise quite like Oshoala, as her own journey mirrors the transformation that she wants to see. She started her career in Nigeria, and played in countries like England, China, Spain, the USA with Bay FC, and now Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.
"I'm blessed to be a professional footballer," she said. "One of the things I love most is that football has allowed me to take my craft to places I never imagined.
"I've played on different continents, travelled around the world, experienced different cultures and met so many people. It's one of the reasons I'm always grateful for this career.
"If not for football, I don't think I would have packed my bags one day and decided to go to China or America. Football has given me those experiences, and I'll always be grateful for them."
It is a long way from 26 years ago when legendary Nigeria forward Mercy Akide blazed the trail as the first African woman to establish a professional career abroad, going first went to play college football in the USA, and then joining the San Diego Spirit of the Women's United Soccer Association.
At the time, opportunities beyond the continent -- and even within -- for women's football were almost non-existent and the women's game struggled for recognition outside of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and South Africa. That path has widened considerably, but Oshoala's era has accelerated the sport's global reach.
Today, African internationals are starring for some of the world's biggest clubs, breaking transfer records and collecting individual honours.
Zambia captain Barbara Banda has become one of the global faces of the women's game, appearing on giant digital billboards in New York's Times Square and in her team's state of Florida after leading Orlando Pride to NWSL success. She has also featured prominently in promotional campaigns in the United States, a reflection of her growing commercial appeal.
Malawi striker Temwa Chawinga has established herself as one of the world's most prolific forwards, getting her own bubble-head figure, the first for an African woman player, while African players are increasingly earning recognition alongside the game's biggest stars.
For Oshoala, those milestones are evidence that African footballers are no longer knocking on the door of the global game, they have earned recognition in their own right and now need more support from the home front to get even further.
"At the end of the day, the goal is to improve the game, develop more players and give as many African players as possible visibility around the world," she said. "That's what's happening now.
"Barbara Banda was in Times Square. That's amazing. You see players like Tabitha Chawinga playing in UEFA Champions League finals. If you name the top 50 players in the world today, you have to include African players. That's what visibility does."
And that is why she believes that the next battle is no longer convincing the world that Africa produces elite footballers, as that is no longer in doubt, but making sure those footballers, and those coming after them, are seen everywhere when they come home to compete at WAFCON.
"There are still audiences we haven't reached," she said. "Players who compete in America and other countries should have their clubs and teammates able to watch them play live.
"Better broadcasting would help the game. It would also give players more exposure because agents and clubs could watch from anywhere. That visibility helps African women's football grow."
African internationals are establishing themselves in Europe's biggest leagues, the NWSL, Mexico, China and Russia. As a result, WAFCON has become both a continental championship and one of the sport's most important scouting windows.
Strong performances can lead to contracts abroad, greater commercial opportunities and, ultimately, inspire the next generation of players.
"If people can't watch these players, they won't have opportunities to sign for bigger clubs," Oshoala said.
"Every WAFCON creates opportunities for players to grow, move to bigger clubs and become bigger names. That's what this tournament can do. It's also exciting to compete against players of that quality because it makes the tournament even more interesting."
Beyond the global opportunities for television audiences, contracts and commercial benefits, Oshoala says the clearest sign of growth is the changing perception in local communities, where football, viewed by many as a game for boys, is now helping to shift the attitude towards girls playing the game.
"One thing I'm proud of is seeing how much the game has changed," she said. "Take Saudi Arabia, for example. Years ago girls weren't allowed to play. Even in Africa, there are still families who don't allow their daughters to play sport.
"I experienced that growing up too. My parents didn't want me to play because I was a girl. Now parents send me messages asking if their daughters can join my academy.
"The game has grown beyond where people had to constantly fight for acceptance. People are still fighting, don't get me wrong, but there has been huge progress."
More than anything else, that transformation may be the clearest measure yet of how far African women's football has come.
The current generation have now established themselves among the world's elite and helping the next generation to grow up seeing African women not simply participating on the biggest stages, but leading them.
