'Motherhood should not be the end of anyone's story'

What the report says

BBC Sport Africa reports that Nigeria midfielder Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene has criticised social attitudes toward female footballers who marry or become mothers, saying online comments can pressure players into feeling their careers are over. Speaking before the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the 32-year-old said some fans in Nigeria treat marriage and childbirth as signs a player is too old or no longer capable, and that this has made some team-mates afraid that starting a family could cost them a place in the national team.

Okobi-Okeoghene, a four-time Wafcon champion with 75 caps, returned to the Super Falcons set-up this year after four years away following the birth of her son in 2024. She was involved in preparations and friendlies under coach Justin Madugu but was not named in the final squad for the 2026 tournament in Morocco. She told the BBC that regaining fitness after childbirth was difficult, but said motherhood did not remove her ability as a player and credited team-mates and family support for helping her comeback.

The BBC report places her comments in a wider discussion about maternity protections in women’s football. Fifa has introduced rules on paid maternity leave and anti-discrimination safeguards, while some leagues outside Africa offer additional support such as childcare or structured returns. The article notes that enforcement can be uneven where women’s football lacks strong professional systems.

Nigeria enter Wafcon as defending champions and are seeking an 11th continental title, with Zambia, Egypt and Malawi in their group. Okobi-Okeoghene said she remains committed to supporting the Super Falcons and argued that players should not have to choose between family life and football.