The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sacked Justin Madugu and his technical crew following the Super Falcons’ WAFCON/World Cup exit. The decision followed Nigeria’s disappointing quarter-final elimination from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco.
Nigeria entered the tournament among Africa’s strongest women’s teams, carrying significant expectations after previous successes at continental competitions. However, the Super Falcons suffered a quarter-final defeat against Cameroon, ending their hopes of defending their continental title.
The early elimination also intensified concerns surrounding Nigeria’s preparation and performance ahead of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Nigeria subsequently missed automatic World Cup qualification after suffering a 2-1 playoff defeat against South Africa. That result ended the Super Falcons’ remarkable streak of qualifying for every Women’s World Cup since the competition began.
Following the disappointing campaign, the NFF Executive Committee reviewed the team’s situation and decided to remove Madugu alongside his technical crew. The federation confirmed the decision through a brief statement published on its official X account Monday evening. “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 statement read.
Madugu’s departure comes after his tenure attracted scrutiny over the team’s performances during the WAFCON tournament and World Cup playoff. The Super Falcons WAFCON/World Cup exit represents a significant setback for Nigeria’s women’s football programme and raises questions about future direction.
Meanwhile, the NFF must now begin searching for a new technical team capable of rebuilding confidence within the national squad. The next appointment will carry major expectations as Nigeria seeks to restore its continental dominance and return to football’s biggest stage.
For the Super Falcons, the WAFCON/World Cup exit has created an important turning point requiring decisive action from Nigerian football authorities.
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