Nigeria prepare for 2026 Africa MiniFootball Women’s Nations Cup

Nigeria has stepped up preparations for the 2026 Africa MiniFootball Confederation Women’s Nations Cup, which will be held in September in Yaounde, Cameroon. The Nigeria MiniFootball Association is working to assemble the country’s first women’s mini-football national team for the continental tournament.

The next stage of the process is an exhibition match in Agege, Lagos, on Sunday. The fixture will form part of activities marking the conclusion of the 2026 league and will give selectors another opportunity to assess potential members of the squad.

NMFA general secretary Sheriff Tajudeen said the league has provided an important scouting base. It has also supported the association’s efforts to grow mini-football in Nigeria and explore opportunities to extend the sport’s reach outside the country.

Nigeria’s team will play in a six-a-side competition that also serves as a qualifier for the WMF Women’s World Cup. Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Benin Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and hosts Cameroon are the other participating nations.

The association’s preparations come as Nigeria’s women’s football team continues a mixed run in the conventional game. Nigeria finished second at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with 6 points from 3 matches, recording 2 wins and 1 loss and scoring 9 goals while conceding 5. Their latest five results are three wins and two defeats, including victories over Tanzania, Senegal and Cameroon.

Funding remains a major concern for the NMFA as it builds the squad. The association is seeking backing from sports authorities, individuals, companies and other supporters, while maintaining its ambition of producing a team capable of competing for the title in Yaounde.