For Esther Okoronkwo, Evelyn Badu and Linda Owusu-Ansah, WAFCON 2026 was less a destination than a measuring stick. All three Northern Super League players leave Morocco with different stories, but each returns to Canada with something tangible: experience, momentum and a clearer sense of where they fit on a changing African football landscape.

The WAFCON journey is over for Northern Super League stars Esther Okoronkwo, Evelyn Badu and Linda Owusu-Ansah. Nigeria fell 1-0 to Cameroon and Ghana suffered a 2-1 defeat to historic debutants Malawi. But the road to Brazil 2027 is not yet closed: Nigeria and Ghana will play matches on Thursday for a place in FIFA’s World Cup Play-Off Tournament.

The Northern Super League's influence at WAFCON continues to grow. Nigeria rested Esther Okoronkwo with qualification secured, Evelyn Badu sent Ghana into the quarter-finals, and Linda Owusu-Ansah's performances have put her in contention for Ghana's U-20 World Cup squad.

Northern Super League players continued their involvement in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations on Matchday 2, with Esther Okoronkwo helping Nigeria edge closer to the quarter-finals, Evelyn Badu seeing a goal ruled out by VAR, and Linda Owusu-Ansah earning another appearance for Ghana in a pivotal group-stage encounter.

Three Northern Soccer League players featured as WAFCON got underway. Esther Okoronkwo returned to Nigeria's starting line-up after months out, Linda Owusu-Ansah earned her senior Ghana debut and Evelyn Badu watched from the bench. Here's what Matchday 1 revealed—and what comes next.