CONFEDERATION of African Football (CAF) President Dr Patrice Motsepe has congratulated and praised Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco for reaching the round of 16 of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
It is the first time in the history of the competition that three teams from Africa will reach the knockout rounds, surpassing the last Women’s World Cup in 2019 when Nigeria and Cameroon progressed to the round of 16.
“CAF and the 54 African nations that are members of CAF congratulates the women’s teams of Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa for their historic and well-deserved qualification to the round of 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023,” said Motsepe, a South African billionaire businessman and owner of former CAF Champions League winners Mamelodi Sundowns.
“The Super Falcons, the Atlas Lionesses and Banyana Banyana have made the people of Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa, as well as the people of the rest of the African continent, very proud with their outstanding performances and hard-earned victories at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023. The future of women’s football on the African continent is bright.”
CAF also congratulated the teams and their history-making feat yesterday after Morocco completed the set with a 1-0 victory over Colombia.
The continental ruling body said the victories and successes of the Nigerian, Moroccan and South African women’s teams would contribute significantly to the development and growth of women’s football in Africa.
Incidentally, all three teams will face countries that once ruled over their lands as colonial masters.
Nigeria will battle England, South Africa will confront the Netherlands and Morocco will be up against France in their round of 16 ties starting from Sunday.
Africa also made another bit of Women’s World Cup history in this edition as all four teams from the continent won at least one match for the first time ever, following eliminated Zambia’s 3-1 victory over Costa Rica.
