Afolabi calls Nigeria’s WAFCON 2026 1-0 exit a bitter lesson

Nigeria’s Super Falcons lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the WAFCON 2026 quarter-finals before falling 2-1 to South Africa in the African play-offs for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Saheed Afolabi described the tournament exit and the subsequent failure to reach the World Cup as a bitter lesson for Nigerian football.

The defeat by Cameroon ended Nigeria’s campaign at the last-eight stage, while Cameroon went on to win the competition by beating Malawi 3-0 in the final. The result also denied the Falcons a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, meaning Nigeria will miss the tournament for the first time since the team’s inception in 1991.

Afolabi, who works with Echonews, said inadequate preparation was the main reason for the disappointing campaign. He pointed to the team’s late arrival into camp in Morocco, saying the players began preparations only three or four days before the tournament.

He placed responsibility for the short camp on the Nigeria Football Federation. In his view, an earlier camp, potentially beginning one or two months before the competition, would have given the technical staff more time to prepare and select the strongest team.

Afolabi acknowledged that several players from the United States arrived late because their domestic league was still being played. However, he noted that only four or five members of the squad were affected by that situation, while other players had been available since their seasons ended in May.

The pundit also said Nigeria appeared to approach the tournament with an assumption that opponents would not provide a serious challenge. The Falcons entered Morocco as defending champions and have won the women’s continental title a record 10 times, factors that raised expectations around the team.

The NFF has since asked head coach Justine Madugu and his technical crew to leave their positions with immediate effect. Afolabi said the WAFCON outcome and the World Cup absence should force Nigeria to examine its preparation methods and avoid repeating the same mistakes.