Joy Omewa: From the streets of Nigeria to Nottingham Forest’s Frontline
Growing up, moving to England and finishing strong
Nottingham Forest and Super Falcons striker Joy Omewa has made an instant impact in attack this season, as the Reds’ look to finish the season strongly.
The incredible story of Omewa began on the streets of Osun in south-west Nigeria, where she first discovered her love for the game. Those streets doubled as her training ground, and it was here where her footballing journey began.
Fast forward to 2026, the 23-year-old has been shortlisted for the WSL2 Player of the Month award for March. Omewa played four games in March and scored two goals, taking her tally to three goals after her goal in the debut match against Birmingham in February.
Omewa’s footballing journey
“I started playing because my older brother played for fun”, Omewa said. “He started playing street football, and I saw him and was like ‘okay, I would really like to know how to do this.”
Omewa was picked up by Nigerian Premier League side Confluence Queens, where she earned youth international recognition with Nigeria’s U17 side at 15 years old.
At 18 years old, she set her sights on Europe and joined Danish side B.93, making 9 appearances and scoring 3 times in her debut season. Despite having a decent season on paper, she struggled adapting to life in Denmark.
“I think the first three months was really tough because the football difference, and a lot of stuff that was new.”
In November 2021, Omewa joined Danish club Fortuna Hjørring in the Kvindeligaen, the top division of women’s football in Denmark. She continued her development there and went on to enjoy a breakthrough 2024–25 season. By mid-April, she had recorded 14 goals and 4 assists in just 17 league appearances.
Her performances were instrumental in Fortuna Hjørring securing a domestic double, winning both the Danish Women’s League and the Danish Women’s Cup. In recognition of her performances, she was named Danish Women’s League Player of the Season in June 2025. Across her five years at Fortuna Hjørring, she finished with 62 goals in 99 appearances.
Following standout performances in Denmark, as well as spells with Nigeria’s U-17 and U-20 teams, Omewa earned her first senior call-up to the Super Falcons. Her first international camp ended on a high note, with the team securing qualification for the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco.
“I always told my mom that one day I would play for the national team. When I got the call up, I was really excited about it,” Joy said. “My mom was proud of me and I do most of the things with my mom and my family. So I’m really happy.”
Signing for Forest
In January 2026, Omewa signed for WSL2 side Nottingham Forest on a contract until the end of the 2025–26 campaign.
Nottingham Forest Women Head Coach, Carly Davies, said: “Joy’s incredible goal-scoring prowess speaks for itself. She’s a dynamic forward with a natural instinct in front of goal, and her ability to find the net consistently at both club and international level makes her a fantastic addition to our squad.”
“Joy is exactly the type of player who can help us push forward and achieve our ambitions.”
Finishing the season strong
Upon signing, Omewa said: “I am delighted to sign for Nottingham Forest. It’s an ambitious club and I’m excited to be a part of this team. I can’t wait to get started for this club and I think I can add a lot to an already talented group at Forest.”
“It's like a dream, I always see this pitch on TV and I’ve never been here before and I watched a player like Taiwo Awoyini play here, so I’m looking forward to playing here as well.”
Now with 3 goals in 7 appearances since her mid-season move, Forest will look to finish the season on a strong note. Currently unbeaten in 4 matches, the Reds take on Southampton at home, with a win taking them into 6th place.
