Shaibu Urges Super Falcons to Focus After Malawi Loss

Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), encouraged the Super Falcons to quickly move past their disappointing opening defeat to Malawi in the WAFCON 2026. He characterized the loss as a temporary setback and reaffirmed the team's quality, experience, and mental strength.

In a statement released on Thursday by his Special Assistant on Media, Ben Ogbemudia, Shaibu urged the players not to let the defeat affect their confidence as they prepare for their remaining Group C matches. He emphasized that champions are defined by their responses to adversity and called for unity and commitment from the players and the technical crew led by Justine Madugu.

Shaibu expressed confidence in the squad's ability to recover and highlighted the unwavering support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who looks forward to welcoming the team home with the WAFCON trophy. He reminded the players of the millions of Nigerians supporting them and encouraged them to draw inspiration from this backing.