The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially terminated the contract of Justin Madugu as head coach of the Super Falcons following a disappointing performance in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and the subsequent failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Immediate Dismissal

Madugu, along with his entire technical staff, has been relieved of their duties effective immediately. This decision was made public by the NFF's Executive Committee, although specific reasons for the dismissal were not disclosed. The move comes on the heels of a challenging period for the Super Falcons, who were seen as strong contenders entering the WAFCON but ultimately fell short of expectations.

WAFCON Campaign and World Cup Qualification Failure

The Super Falcons began their WAFCON journey with a disappointing 3-2 loss to Malawi, a team making its tournament debut. Despite recovering to advance from the group stage, Nigeria's run ended in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon. This loss not only eliminated them from the tournament but also dashed their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, as only the semi-finalists secured spots in the upcoming tournament in Brazil. Nigeria's final chance for qualification was thwarted by South Africa, who defeated the Super Falcons 2-1 on August 13, marking a historic absence from the Women’s World Cup for Nigeria.

This marks the first time since the inception of the Women’s World Cup in 1991 that Nigeria will not participate, a significant setback for the nation that has been the most successful team in African women's football. Madugu's sacking comes just over a year after he led Nigeria to a record-extending 10th WAFCON title, highlighting the dramatic shift in fortunes for the team.