The Green Falcons of Nigeria will face the Leopardess of Ghana in a two-match senior international series as a warm-up for the IRL Women’s Rugby League World Series in Canada, www.aclsports.com reports.
Scheduled for October 7 and 11 at the Alaro City Rugby Pitch on Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, the first match kicks off at 3pm with the second starting at 12pm. The series also carries world ranking points.
Nigeria has maintained a perfect record against Ghana, with every meeting becoming tighter, underscoring the rising standard of women’s rugby league in Africa.
Nigeria is ramping up preparations in Lagos with support from its main sponsor, a long-standing partner of the Nigeria Rugby League, and Rugby School Nigeria, which is constructing a dedicated pitch that will also serve as the Falcons’ training base for the World Series. The squad’s camp is further reinforced by assistant coach Luke Shearman from Australia and two Nigerian players based in Australia.
No African women’s team has ever played on rugby league’s global stage. The Green Falcons earned their spot in the inaugural IRL Women’s Rugby League World Series by defeating Kenya, giving them the opportunity to qualify for the World Cup.
The World Series in Canada will see Nigeria, Fiji, Ireland, and host nation Canada compete in a knockout tournament for the final berth at the 2026 Women’s Rugby League World Cup in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The semi-finals are scheduled for October 21 at Terry Fox Stadium, Brampton, Ontario, with Ireland taking on Nigeria, followed by Canada facing Fiji. The winners will clash in the final on October 26, while the losing teams will contest a third-place match, which will also count toward world ranking points.
