French football club Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed that Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade will undergo surgery after suffering a fractured fibula while representing Nigeria in the qualifying campaign for the 2028 Olympic Games. The club said the forward would begin rehabilitation under the supervision of its medical team following the procedure.
Ajibade sustained the injury on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, during Nigeria's 5-0 victory over Comoros in the second leg of their Olympic qualifying tie at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne, Ogun State. PSG confirmed the diagnosis in a medical statement published ahead of their women's league fixture against OL Lyonnes, with the development reported on Friday, October 16.
The Nigerian captain was injured in the 23rd minute after colliding with a Comoros player during the first half of the encounter. She received medical attention on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher and replaced by Folashade Ijamilusi.
In its official medical update, PSG confirmed that Ajibade had suffered a fracture of the fibula, one of the two bones in the lower leg. The club said one of its specialist surgeons would perform the operation before the player began a rehabilitation programme supervised by its medical department.
The French club did not provide a specific date for the surgery or disclose how long the Nigerian international would be unavailable for competitive football. It also expressed support for Ajibade and midfielder Anaïs Ebayilin, whose anterior cruciate ligament injury was addressed in the same medical statement.
Before PSG confirmed the diagnosis, Nigeria's interim head coach, Augustine Eguavoen, had explained that the national team's medical personnel were arranging further examinations to determine the seriousness of Ajibade's injury.
Speaking after the match on October 13, Eguavoen said the medical team had informed him that Ajibade would undergo an MRI scan. At that stage, the extent of the injury had not been established, and the coach said further information would be communicated after the examination.
Ajibade subsequently addressed the injury in a message shared on her social media account. In the statement reported on October 16, she thanked her teammates, family, medical personnel and supporters for their encouragement while explaining that medical consultations were continuing.
“At the moment, I’m doing okay and my spirits are high,” she wrote.
The forward also praised the Super Falcons for their performance during the international break and expressed appreciation for the support she had received following the incident. Her comments were published before PSG's subsequent confirmation that surgery would be required.
Despite losing their captain early in the match, Nigeria secured a 5-0 victory over Comoros to complete a 7-0 aggregate win in the second qualifying round for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Toni Payne and Uchenna Kanu scored twice each, while Christy Ucheibe converted a penalty as Nigeria advanced to the next stage of the qualification campaign. The result followed the Super Falcons' 2-0 victory in the first leg.
Nigeria are scheduled to face Morocco in the third round of the African Olympic qualifying competition. PSG has not announced a recovery timetable establishing whether Ajibade will be available for that fixture.
At club level, Ajibade had been in goalscoring form before joining Nigeria for international duty. The former Atlético Madrid forward scored in PSG's 3-1 victory over Fleury in the French women's top division, taking her tally to four goals across competitions.
Her latest injury brings an interruption to that run of appearances, with PSG now responsible for overseeing her surgical treatment and subsequent rehabilitation.
The club's medical statement confirms the fibula fracture and the decision to proceed with surgery. However, no official date has been announced for Ajibade's return to training or competitive matches.
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