Nigeria Football Federation probes Super Falcons’ World Cup failure

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has established a six-member fact-finding committee to investigate the recent poor performance of Nigeria’s national teams, specifically focusing on the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Super Falcons’ qualification hopes ended following a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in a playoff match. This result marks the first time the team will miss a Women’s World Cup since their debut in 1991. The setback follows a disappointing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign where the defending champions were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

The investigative panel will be chaired by Fanny Amun and includes former players and officials such as Desire Oparanozie, Ladan Bosso, and Mutiu Adepoju. The committee is tasked with identifying the factors responsible for these setbacks and proposing measures to improve international football fortunes.

Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu attributed the loss to missed opportunities, individual errors, and lapses in concentration, while player Rinsola Babajide noted the team must now reset and focus on upcoming Olympic qualifiers.