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Nigeria order Super Falcons coaching staff to step down after World Cup failure
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has instructed Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu and the rest of the team’s technical staff to leave their positions after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The decision was taken by the NFF Executive Committee on Monday, following a disappointing campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the next Women’s World Cup ended after they were knocked out by Cameroon in the quarter-finals. The Super Falcons then suffered a 2-1 defeat by South Africa in the subsequent play-off, confirming that they would miss the global tournament.
The outcome means Nigeria will not take part in the Women’s World Cup for the first time since the competition began in 1991.
Madugu, together with the other members of the technical crew, has now been directed to vacate his position. The NFF has not yet named replacements and has not provided further information about the next steps for the national team.
The decision follows increased scrutiny of the Super Falcons’ performances and represents the federation’s response to the setbacks experienced in Morocco. Their elimination by Cameroon had already brought an end to their hopes of progressing through the tournament, while the defeat by South Africa left Nigeria without qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
For the NFF, the instruction to the coaching staff marks the immediate consequence of the team’s failure to reach the tournament. However, no details have been given about whether a new head coach or a new technical team will be appointed, or when any replacement announcement might be made.
The Super Falcons’ absence will bring an end to Nigeria’s record of appearing at every Women’s World Cup since the inaugural edition in 1991. That run will now stop after the results in Morocco, where the team’s campaign ended with a quarter-final defeat and a loss in the following play-off.
The NFF’s announcement therefore leaves the national team without a confirmed technical crew, while the federation considers its next move after the disappointing results at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
