By Daniel Edu

The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, will be hosting a send-forth dinner for the Super Falcons as they prepare to depart for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The dinner, organized by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), will take place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Saturday.

The event will be attended by top government officials, including the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Ismaila Abubakar, as well as other sports officials. The NFF’s President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, will also be in attendance, along with corporate executives, members of the diplomatic corps, and other football stakeholders.

Following the send-forth dinner, the Super Falcons will embark on a 15-day camping program in Australia before the start of the tournament on July 20. Nigeria’s first match will be against Canada on July 21, followed by clashes against Australia and the Republic of Ireland on July 27 and July 31, respectively.

The Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup will be the largest-ever tournament, featuring 32 teams. It will be the first Women’s World Cup hosted by two countries and the first FIFA senior competition hosted by two countries from different confederations. Nigeria’s captain, Onome Ebi, will be one of the oldest players at the tournament, alongside Brazil’s Marta and Canada’s Christine Sinclair, as they participate in their sixth World Cup.

Prior to the send-forth dinner, the Australian High Commission will also host the Falcons to a dinner, courtesy of the Acting High Commissioner, Her Excellency Leanne Johnston.

The Super Falcons are placed in Group B, alongside Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland. Nigeria has previously faced Canada and Australia in past World Cup tournaments, with a draw against Canada in 1995 and a victory for Australia in 2015.