The Nigeria Football Federation has directed members of the Super Falcons’ technical crew to step down with immediate effect following a difficult 2026 campaign in which the nine-time African champions failed to secure an automatic ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
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The NFF Executive Committee announced the decision in a brief statement on Monday but did not give a specific reason for asking the technical crew to leave.
“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 Super Falcons’ technical crew is led by Head Coach Justin Madugu, alongside assistant coaches and other members of the team’s backroom staff.
The decision comes after a disappointing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign during which Nigeria struggled to reproduce the form and dominance historically associated with the Super Falcons.
Nigeria began its Group C campaign with a defeat to Malawi, who were appearing at the continental tournament for the first time.
Malawi subsequently emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the competition, progressing all the way to the final before losing to Cameroon.
The Super Falcons, meanwhile, saw their WAFCON campaign end in the quarter-finals following defeat to Cameroon, a result that denied Nigeria an automatic qualification place for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria was subsequently handed another opportunity to secure a World Cup ticket through a playoff against South Africa but again suffered defeat.
The result left the Super Falcons requiring another route in their attempt to reach the global tournament, with the NFF subsequently ordering the technical crew to step down.
Madugu has been involved with the Super Falcons setup for several years.
In November 2021, the NFF appointed Madugu and Edwin Okon as members of the Super Falcons’ technical crew as part of a move at the time to restructure the coaching team.
The latest directive represents another major shake-up of Nigeria’s senior national football teams following qualification difficulties on both the women’s and men’s sides.
The Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Nigeria finished second in its qualifying group and proceeded to the African playoff, where the Super Eagles lost the final to the Democratic Republic of Congo 4-3 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 following extra time.
The Super Falcons’ coaching shake-up also comes immediately after Cameroon claimed their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Malawi in Rabat on Sunday.
Cameroon, who had previously finished as runners-up on three occasions, eliminated both Nigeria and Morocco — finalists in previous editions — on their way to the championship match.
The Indomitable Lionesses ended Malawi’s remarkable debut campaign with a dominant first-half performance at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.
Marie Ngah Manga scored twice, while Naomi Eto produced an acrobatic scissors kick as Cameroon established a commanding advantage before half-time.
Malawi entered the tournament ranked 153rd in the world but defied expectations by progressing to the final.
Cameroon began the final with greater attacking intent than they had displayed during earlier knockout matches, while their defence, which had not conceded during the knockout stages, largely contained tournament leading scorer Temwa Chawinga.
Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina, who had been named Player of the Match against both Nigeria and Morocco, was called into action during the opening stages, saving at Chawinga’s feet inside the first 10 minutes.
Bihina also stopped an effort from Chikondi Gondwe in the 14th minute before Cameroon gradually took control.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute following an error by Malawi goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo.
Grace Mendoua delivered a cross which Sikelo could only push against her crossbar, allowing Ngah Manga to react quickest and head home from close range.
Malawi attempted to respond immediately, forcing another save from Bihina, while at the other end Sikelo pushed Eto’s effort over the crossbar shortly before the half-hour mark.
Cameroon doubled their advantage from the resulting corner.
Malawi failed to properly clear Achta Toko Njoya’s delivery, allowing Eto to beat Sikelo with an imaginative scissors kick in the 30th minute.
With Malawi struggling defensively and Cameroon firmly in control, the match appeared likely to reach half-time at 2-0.
However, three minutes into first-half stoppage time, another defensive mistake allowed Cameroon to effectively put the contest beyond their opponents.
Sikelo rushed from her goal in an attempt to close down Eto but was rounded by the Sassuolo attacker, who calmly crossed for Ngah Manga to score her second of the match and Cameroon’s third.
The Indomitable Lionesses went into the break with a commanding 3-0 advantage.
Malawi attempted to respond after the restart, with Tabitha Chawinga sending an early opportunity narrowly wide of Bihina’s right-hand post.
Ngah Manga then had an opportunity to complete a hat-trick after holding off Benadetta Mkandawire and rounding Sikelo, but she sent her effort into the side netting despite having an open goal in front of her.
A subsequent VAR check for a possible penalty produced no further action.
Cameroon largely controlled the remainder of the second half as Malawi began to tire.
The Chawinga sisters combined well on one occasion, providing a glimpse of the attacking understanding that had troubled Nigeria, Ghana and other opponents earlier in the tournament, but Temwa Chawinga fired wide.
Mendoua also shot over from a difficult angle in the 72nd minute, while Sikelo made a late save to prevent Eto from extending Cameroon’s lead.
Veteran Cameroon forward Gabrielle Onguene, who had featured when the Indomitable Lionesses lost the 2016 WAFCON final to Nigeria on home soil, was introduced in stoppage time.
The 37-year-old appeared to have added a fourth goal after racing through the Malawi defence and finishing beyond Sikelo, but VAR subsequently ruled the effort out for offside.
Cameroon nevertheless completed a convincing 3-0 victory to claim their first WAFCON championship and bring Malawi’s extraordinary debut run to an end.
For Nigeria, attention has now shifted to the future of the Super Falcons following the NFF’s directive to the Justin Madugu-led technical crew to step down.
The federation has yet to announce a replacement coaching team or provide further details on the reasons for its decision, but the move follows a campaign marked by the WAFCON quarter-final defeat to eventual champions Cameroon and the subsequent World Cup qualification playoff loss to South Africa.
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