‏ 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.”