Nigeria Players Abroad
Ordega says Nigeria’s WAFCON exit highlights need for better preparation
Francisca Ordega says Nigeria’s lack of adequate preparation contributed to the Super Falcons’ disappointing exit from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria were eliminated in the quarter-finals after a 1-0 defeat by the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon, failing to reach the semi-finals for the first time in the history of the competition.
The result ended a campaign in which Nigeria struggled for consistency from the opening match. They began the tournament with a surprise 3-2 loss to Malawi, who were making their debut at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Justine Madugu’s team responded positively after that setback, producing impressive performances in their next matches. However, their progress was halted by Cameroon, who secured victory despite a determined display from the Super Falcons.
Ordega, reflecting on Nigeria’s overall performance, acknowledged that the team had not prepared sufficiently for the demands of the tournament.
Asked by ESPN whether the Super Falcons had prepared adequately, Ordega replied: “Of course not.”
“I think it’s something we really need to talk about.
“If you’re coming for a World Cup competition or qualification, you have to prepare because everyone is coming here with the World Cup as their target.
“Moving forward, we’ll be able to do better with our preparation.”
Her comments came after Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the latter stages of the competition were ended by a narrow defeat against Cameroon. The Super Falcons had recovered from their difficult opening match, but were unable to find a way past the Indomitable Lionesses in the quarter-final.
Nigeria must now quickly shift their focus to a crucial match against South Africa in Casablanca on Thursday.
Victory would allow the Super Falcons to advance to FIFA’s inter-confederation play-offs, which are scheduled to take place in November and December.
The play-offs represent Nigeria’s next opportunity to continue their pursuit of World Cup qualification after their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign ended earlier than expected.
Ordega said the team would need to improve its preparation in future, particularly with World Cup qualification ambitions at stake. She also indicated that the experience of the 2026 tournament should help Nigeria perform better going forward.
The defeat by Cameroon marked a significant moment in the competition’s history, with Nigeria missing out on the semi-finals for the first time. Despite that disappointment, the Super Falcons still have an important fixture ahead of them against South Africa, with qualification for the FIFA inter-confederation play-offs dependent on securing a win.
By Adeboye Amosu
