Atlético Madrid forward Rasheedat Ajibade and FC Rosengård midfielder Halimatu Ayinde will both miss the Super Falcons opener game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup against host Canada tomorrow as they have been declared not eligible to play by FIFA.

Recall that Ajibade and Ayinde were sent off in the Super Falcons’ semi-final defeat against hosts Morocco at the 2022 African Women’s Nations Cup. 

FIFA declared in a disciplinary review that the two players are not eligible to feature in the blockbuster encounter tomorrow against Canada.

Ayinde who is a former Delta Queens midfielder, has been capped 12th times by the Super Falcons since making her debut in 2015. 

Ajibade played for FC Robo at the local level before securing a move to Avaldnes and then to Atlético Madrid. She made her debut for the Falcons in 2018 and has since then been capped 19 times for the African giant.

Rasheedat and Ayinde’s absence will be hugely missed by coach Randy Waldrum, who will sort out other options.