Super Falcons midfielder Toni Payne says Nigeria are prepared for Cameroon’s physical style ahead of Sunday’s 2026 WAFCON quarter-final.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons midfielder Toni Payne says the team is fully prepared for the physical challenge expected when they face Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Sunday.
The defending champions booked their place in the knockout stage after recovering from a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening Group C fixture.
Nigeria responded with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia before producing an emphatic 6-2 win against Egypt to finish second in the group and advance to the last eight.
Toni Payne confident ahead of Cameroon clash
The Super Falcons will now face Cameroon, who topped Group D after recording victories over Ghana and Mali and drawing with debutants Cape Verde.
Payne, however, insists the Super Falcons are ready for the battle.
“We know it’s going to be a physical game, but that’s something we have always prepared for,” Payne said.
She added, “A lot of us have been playing football for a long time, and we know what it takes to win games.”
Sunday’s encounter will renew one of the most competitive rivalries in African women’s football.
The two sides also met in the quarter-finals of the 2022 WAFCON, with Rasheedat Ajibade scoring the only goal as Nigeria secured a 1-0 victory.
Beyond reaching the semi-finals, Sunday’s match carries additional significance because a victory would also secure Nigeria’s place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Payne acknowledged that the team has already achieved its initial objective of reaching the knockout stages but stressed that the players are eager to go further.
“We are ready to continue to that next step,” she said.