Europe's advantage over Africa on FIFA World Cup stage highlighted

The Women’s World Cup will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August 2023, with South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria and Morocco representing Africa at the global showpiece. 

Morocco and Zambia will make their debuts, while African champions Banyana Banyana return for a second time and Nigeria’s Super Falcons featuring for an eighth successive tournament since its inception in 1991.

Ogunbote, a Brit-born Nigerian, believes European teams will always have the upper hand on the world stage because their domestic leagues are more competitive. 

"Yeah, I think European teams have a big advantage over African teams going into the World Cup because their domestic leagues are better, it's more competitive, and they're attracting the best of the best talent," Ogunbote told SABC Sport.

"They also have access to resources, they have [better] organisation, and all of this impacts the on-pitch performance – they have the analysis, the science, the nutrition, the psychology, the kits.

"You know, we've still got teams that don't even have... I heard a rumour the other day that one of the national teams in India received their boots the day they were playing and didn't even have time to break them in because the sponsorship hadn't come in time.

"So, you know, European teams will always have the advantage because they have the knowledge and the intel [intellegence], and the experience. 

"That doesn't mean African teams can't get there, but at this moment in time the gap is very huge."