Udeze calls Super Falcons World Cup failure an insult

Former Nigeria international Ifeanyi Udeze has described the Super Falcons' failure to secure a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup as an insult. The Nigerian side saw their qualification hopes end following a 2-1 defeat to South Africa's Banyana Banyana in Thursday's play-in match.

After a scoreless first half, South Africa secured a two-goal advantage through strikes from Thembi Kgatlana and Rediloe Jane. Christy Ucheibe scored a late penalty for the Super Falcons in the 93rd minute, but the goal served only as a consolation. The victory allowed South Africa to advance to the Intercontinental playoff for a chance at World Cup qualification.

Speaking on Brila FM, Udeze noted that while he does not blame the team for failing to win the WAFCON, the inability to qualify for the World Cup is deeply painful. He suggested that the players lacked unity and entered the WAFCON tournament with excessive confidence. He maintained that the quality of the players remains high despite the outcome.

This result marks the first time the Super Falcons have missed a World Cup tournament since their debut at the inaugural edition in 1991. The team's path was also impacted by previous losses in the tournament, having been defeated by Malawi and Cameroon during the group stage and quarterfinal rounds.

In other developments, Ghana secured their place in the Intercontinental playoff by overcoming a deficit to beat Côte d’Ivoire 2-1. The four nations that have already guaranteed their places in the 2027 tournament are hosts Morocco, Cameroon, Algeria, and Malawi. The upcoming WAFCON final will be played between Malawi and Cameroon.