Super Falcons Urged to Build New Era Ahead of Qualifiers

Former Super Falcons captains Desire Oparanozie, Patience Avre, and Kikelomo Ajayi have warned that Nigeria can no longer rely on past achievements as the Super Falcons prepare for the 2028 Women’s Olympic qualifying campaign in October. This follows the team's failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after suffering an early exit at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where they lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarter-finals.

The Nigeria Football Federation dismissed the technical crew led by coach Justine Madugu, including Ann Chiejine, Auwal Makwalla, Igor Krulj, and Per Karlsson. Bukola Olopade, Director-General of the National Sports Commission, indicated that a new technical crew would be appointed before the qualifiers against Comoros, who advanced with a 30-0 aggregate victory over Sudan.

Ajayi emphasized the need for a renewed football culture, while Oparanozie called for a major rebuild and more opportunities for younger players.