The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has directed the entire technical crew of the Super Falcons to vacate their positions with immediate effect following the team’s disappointing campaign and failure to secure automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The NFF Executive Committee announced the decision on Monday in a brief statement, although the federation did not provide detailed reasons for the directive.
The football governing body said the members of the Super Falcons’ technical crew had been asked to step aside as part of the federation’s response to the team’s recent setbacks.
The decision comes after a difficult Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign for Nigeria, which began with a surprising defeat to tournament debutants Malawi in their opening Group C fixture.
Malawi subsequently produced one of the tournament’s biggest stories by advancing all the way to the final before losing to Cameroon, who claimed their first WAFCON title on Sunday.
For the Super Falcons, the tournament ended at the quarter-final stage following a defeat to Cameroon. The result meant Nigeria failed to secure an automatic ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria’s qualification hopes suffered another blow when the Super Falcons later lost their playoff encounter against South Africa, forcing the country to seek an alternative route to the global tournament.
The technical setup was headed by head coach Justin Madugu, alongside assistant coaches and other members of the backroom staff. Madugu and Edwin Okon were appointed to the Super Falcons’ technical team in November 2021 as part of efforts to reorganise and strengthen the coaching structure of the women’s national team.
The latest NFF decision is expected to trigger a fresh search for a coaching team capable of rebuilding the Super Falcons and guiding them through the remaining pathway to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The development also comes against the backdrop of concerns over Nigeria’s recent performances across its senior national teams.
The Super Eagles, Nigeria’s senior men’s team, similarly experienced disappointment during the qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Nigeria finished second in its qualifying group but failed to progress after losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African playoff final.
The decisive match ended 1-1 after extra time before DR Congo prevailed 4-3 on penalties, securing progression to the next stage of the World Cup qualification process.
With the Super Falcons now facing a similar qualification setback, the NFF will be under pressure to move quickly in appointing a new technical crew.
The federation’s immediate priority will be to restore stability within the team, improve performances and maximise Nigeria’s remaining chances of reaching the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
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The Super Falcons remain one of Africa’s most successful women’s football teams, and the NFF will be expected to ensure that the next coaching appointment can restore the team’s competitiveness both on the continent and on the international stage.
