NFF dismisses Super Falcons staff after World Cup setback

Etim Ekpimah

The Nigeria Football Federation has ordered the Super Falcons’ technical crew to leave their positions with immediate effect, following the team’s failure to secure a direct place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The federation announced the decision on Monday after a disappointing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign that ended Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying automatically for the tournament.

In a brief statement, the NFF Executive Committee directed all members of the technical crew to step aside but did not disclose the specific reasons for the decision.

The Falcons’ campaign began with an unexpected defeat by debutants Malawi in the group stage. Malawi went on to reach the final, where they lost to Cameroon, who claimed their first WAFCON title on Sunday.

Nigeria recovered to reach the quarterfinals but were eliminated by Cameroon, forcing the nine-time African champions into the qualifying play-offs for the World Cup.

Their second chance ended in defeat against South Africa, leaving Nigeria with another route to pursue if they are to reach the global tournament.

The technical crew was led by Justin Madugu, who had been part of the national team set-up for several years and was appointed alongside Edwin Okon during a restructuring of the Falcons’ coaching team in 2021. The NFF’s decision leaves the federation with the task of assembling a new technical team as the Super Falcons continue their campaign to secure a place at the 2027 World Cup.