Nigeria’s women’s national team coach, Randy Waldrum, has declared his players ready to face reigning Olympic champions Canada in a friendly match this evening.

The Super Falcons and Zambia’s Copper Queens will be the only African women’s football teams at this year’s Paris Olympics and they have intensified their preparations.

Nigeria is in Group C alongside Brazil, Japan, and Spain in what could be the most challenging group.

Waldrum stated that this evening’s match will determine the team’s readiness for the Olympics opener against Brazil.

“We have had a great camp; the players have worked extremely hard,” Waldrum told the Super Falcons Show. “Unfortunately, we’ve had a few come into the camp a little bit late, but the level has been extremely high, and the players look very focused moving forward for the Olympics.”

He added: “Certainly, the Canada game for us is a friendly and allows us to work on a couple of things that we put in place during this camp, to see some players, and to find those best combinations that are going to actually represent us when we open up against Brazil in the opening match.

“I think they are ready to face a new team, so we are all looking forward to the game against Canada.”

Nigeria will come up against Canada at 18:00 CAT in their final preparatory match ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The Super Falcons, who are returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2008, will open their campaign on July 25 against Brazil. They will wrap up their group stage matches against Spain and Japan on July 28th and 31st, respectively.