Bayelsa Queens forward Samuel Vera has optimism about the team’s chances following the release of the WAFU Zone B Women’s Champions League qualifiers draw.
The Nigerian champions, who earned their spot in the competition by winning the 2025 Super 6 playoff, have been drawn into Group B alongside Ghana’s Police Ladies, Association de la Kozah of Togo, and Benin Republic’s Sam Nelly FC.
Group A features Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas, AS Garde of Niger, and Burkina Faso’s USFA.
Vera, reflecting on the draw, said the team is full of confidence and ready to defend their crown. Bayelsa Queens are targeting back-to-back titles after lifting the WAFU B trophy in 2024, a victory that paved the way for their participation in the CAF Women’s Champions League.
“When I saw the draws, I imagined how we lifted last year’s WAFU B trophy. I felt happy because we have been preparing for this for a long time, and I know we are going for the trophy,” Vera said via The Lagos Voice.
“I felt excited to win Player of the Match in the first game of last year’s WAFU B because that was my first international game. Knowing fully well that my impact was felt gave me confidence. Now we are going back there and hoping to repeat the feat again.
“My personal aim is to lift the trophy with the team and return to Nigeria with it,” she added.
The 2025 WAFU B Women’s Champions League qualifiers will kick off on August 23, 2025, with the winner securing a place at the CAF Women’s Champions League later this year.
Bayelsa Queens will be seeking to maintain Nigeria’s strong presence in the continental women’s game and defend their regional crown.
