Gusau defends Super Falcons' WAFCON preparation efforts

Nigeria Football Federation President Ibrahim Gusau has defended the preparation process for the Super Falcons ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. He admitted that the federation faced significant hurdles when trying to secure quality international friendly matches for the team.

Gusau noted that the rising competitiveness of women's football globally has made it harder to find suitable opponents. He stated that some federations were unable to cover the costs of traveling to Nigeria. While the NFF attempted to organize high-level matches, they were often required to pay for the travel expenses of visiting teams to make the games possible.

The Super Falcons eventually played two friendly matches against Senegal in June during the FIFA international window. Gusau also addressed the team's involvement in the Unity Cup in London, noting that the tournament did not offer optimal preparation because it occurred outside the FIFA international window. This timing meant clubs were not required to release players, which prevented the national team from fielding its strongest possible squad.

These logistical challenges come after a difficult WAFCON campaign for Nigeria. The Super Falcons lost their opening group match to Malawi before defeating Zambia. Their tournament ended with a 1–0 quarter-final loss to Cameroon. Following this, a 2–1 defeat to South Africa in the World Cup play-off resulted in Nigeria failing to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, ending a streak of qualification dating back to 1991.

Gusau described these issues as part of a broader trend in women's football, where more nations now possess the quality to produce unexpected results. He asked for patience from the Nigerian public as the federation works to improve how national teams prepare for major competitions.