Falcons to get new coach before Olympic qualifier

Nigeria's Super Falcons are on the verge of appointing a new technical crew ahead of their crucial 2028 Women’s Olympic qualifying campaign in October. This development follows the Nigeria Football Federation's decision to dismiss the previous coaching staff, led by Justine Madugu, after the team's underwhelming performance at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The Falcons suffered their earliest-ever exit from the tournament, losing 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarter-finals. This defeat ended their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. A subsequent 2-1 loss to South Africa in the CAF play-off further dashed their Olympic aspirations. The dismissed staff also includes former Falcons goalkeeper Ann Chiejine, goalkeeper coach Auwal Makwalla, and Swedish duo Igor Krulj and Per Karlsson.

The Nigeria Football Federation now faces the immediate task of identifying a new technical direction for the 10-time African champions. Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, indicated that adjustments to the technical team are imminent, drawing parallels with the restructuring of the U-23 team. "The Olympics are around the corner, we will see how we can tweak the technical team of the Falcons like we did for the U-23, which coach Eric Chelle will handle. This is because we are desirous of qualifying for the Olympics," Olopade stated.

The Super Falcons, who returned to the Olympic Games at Paris 2024 after a 16-year absence, were eliminated in the group stage. Their upcoming Olympic qualifiers begin in October against Comoros, who advanced after a dominant aggregate victory over Sudan. Olopade emphasized that the NSC and NFF are committed to restructuring the Falcons’ technical setup to ensure Nigeria secures a place in the upcoming Games.

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The Olympics are around the corner, we will see how we can tweak the technical team of the Falcons like we did for the U-23, which coach Eric Chelle will handle. This is because we are desirous of qualifying for the Olympics.