By iNewsAfrica Sports Desk
In a major boost to the Super Falcons’ squad ahead of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), 21-year-old Chioma Okafor has chosen to represent Nigeria over Malawi, despite strong family ties and early training in the southern African country.
Okafor, a standout striker for the University of Connecticut Huskies in the United States, was born in Malawi to a Nigerian father and a Malawian mother. Though she previously trained with Malawi’s national side in 2015 and with Blantyre’s Bullets Women in 2023, the rising star ultimately pledged her international future to Nigeria—where she is now poised to make her Super Falcons debut.
Speaking to journalists, her mother, Patricia Okafor, clarified the decision was entirely her daughter’s.
“Nigeria wrote a letter and she made her choice. I told her to go with her heart so she wouldn’t regret it in the future,” Patricia stated.
Despite Malawi’s efforts to call up the forward for a friendly against Zambia earlier this year, Okafor was unable to attend due to college commitments. The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), however, moved swiftly—securing her Nigerian passport in Atlanta and inviting her to the national team’s training camp in Portugal.
The player is now part of Nigeria’s 24-woman roster heading to Morocco for WAFCON 2025, where she’s expected to add fresh firepower to the Super Falcons’ attack. Nigeria’s opening match is scheduled for July 6 against Tunisia, with a possible debut for Okafor in a preparatory clash against Ghana.
Her decision is being viewed as a strategic win for Nigeria and a cautionary tale for nations slow to secure dual-national talents.
iNewsAfrica will follow Chioma Okafor’s journey closely as the countdown to WAFCON 2025 continues.
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