By Dorcas Francis Koji
The Nigeria Football Federation has directed members of the Super Falcons’ technical crew to step down from their positions with immediate effect following the team’s disappointing 2026 campaign.
The NFF Executive Committee announced the decision on Monday in a brief statement but did not disclose the reason behind the directive.
“The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has asked members of the technical crew of the @NGSuper_Falcons to step down with immediate effect,” the federation stated.
The development comes after a difficult Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco, where Nigeria failed to reach the semi-finals and consequently missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Super Falcons suffered a shock defeat to WAFCON debutants Malawi in their opening Group C match. Malawi subsequently produced a remarkable run to reach the final, where they were defeated by Cameroon.
Nigeria’s campaign eventually ended in the quarter-finals after a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon, with the Indomitable Lionesses going on to win their first-ever WAFCON title on Sunday.
The quarter-final defeat meant Nigeria had to rely on the CAF play-off route for another opportunity to qualify for the 2027 World Cup.
However, that chance also slipped away when the Super Falcons suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in the subsequent play-off.
The setback has left Nigeria facing another qualification route, while the NFF has now ordered the technical crew to vacate their positions.
The Super Falcons’ technical team is headed by Justine Madugu, who has worked alongside key assistants and other backroom staff.
Madugu and former Super Falcons coach Edwin Okon were appointed to the team’s technical crew by the NFF in November 2021 as part of efforts to restructure the coaching setup.
The federation’s latest decision comes at a critical moment for Nigerian women’s football, with the Super Falcons facing the prospect of missing the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament began in 1991.
The NFF is yet to announce a replacement or provide further details on the next steps for the national team’s technical structure. The development follows a difficult period for Nigerian football at both senior international levels.
The Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Nigeria missed out on automatic qualification after finishing second in their group before advancing to the CAF play-offs.
The Eagles eventually lost the African play-off final to DR Congo on penalties, going down 4-3 in the shootout after the match ended 1-1 following extra time.
With the Super Falcons now facing another major technical shake-up, attention will turn to how the NFF restructures the team and prepares Nigeria for its remaining World Cup qualification opportunity.
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