By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has ordered the entire technical crew of the Super Falcons, led by head coach Justine Madugu, to step down with immediate effect following the team’s disappointing 2026 campaign and failure to secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The NFF Executive Committee announced the decision on Monday in a brief statement on its official X account, but did not provide a specific reason for the sack.
However, reports indicate that the decision came after the Super Falcons suffered a poor outing at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and subsequently failed to qualify for the World Cup.
Nigeria’s campaign at the continental tournament ended in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon, a result that prevented the nine-time African champions from securing an automatic ticket to the 2027 World Cup. It was the first time the Super Falcons had been eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the competition.
The Falcons had endured an unconvincing group-stage campaign, including an opening defeat by Malawi, who were appearing in the tournament for the first time. Malawi subsequently reached the final, where they lost to Cameroon.
After missing out on automatic qualification, Nigeria had another opportunity to reach the World Cup through the African play-off route. That chance also disappeared after the Super Falcons suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Africa, leaving Nigeria without a place at the 2027 tournament in Brazil.
The outcome marked a historic setback for Nigeria’s senior women’s team, which had previously featured at every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Madugu had been part of the Super Falcons’ technical structure for years. The NFF appointed him and Edwin Okon to the team’s technical crew in November 2021 as part of an effort to reorganise the coaching set-up.
The latest decision therefore represents a significant change in the management of a team that remains one of Nigeria’s most successful national sides.
The NFF has yet to announce who will take charge of the Super Falcons or whether an interim technical team will be appointed ahead of their next competitive engagements.
The timing of the decision comes amid wider scrutiny of Nigeria’s national-team performance after the Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The men’s team missed out after finishing second in their qualifying group and subsequently losing the African playoff final to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties.
