Super Falcons head coach, Justine Madugu, says Nigeria’s women’s national team is targeting both the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Madugu stated that the team’s immediate priority is to secure one of Africa’s qualification spots for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil before attempting to win a record-extending 11th WAFCON title.
“The next WAFCON will also serve as qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, so our priority will first be to ensure that we make it to the World Cup. The second goal will be to defend the trophy and bring it back to Nigeria,” Madugu told CAFonline.
Defending champions return to Morocco
Nigeria won their 10th WAFCON title at the previous edition in Morocco, extending their record as the most successful team in the competition’s history.
The Super Falcons will return to Morocco for the 2026 tournament, where the competition will also determine Africa’s representatives for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Madugu acknowledged that defending the title will be challenging.
“We know it won’t be easy because as champions everybody will now be looking at us. We are holding something precious that everybody wants, but we will remain resolute and focused and try as much as possible to achieve both objectives.”
Madugu welcomes tournament expansion
The 2026 WAFCON will feature 16 teams for the first time, an expansion Madugu believes will help develop women’s football across Africa.
“For me, it is a very positive development because expanding WAFCON to 16 teams allows more countries to experience the competition and showcase the progress they have made in developing women’s football.
“It will also help grow the game across the continent because more nations will have the chance to measure themselves against the best, assess their level of investment, and identify areas where they can improve.”
He added that the larger tournament would create more opportunities for players to showcase their talent and attract greater investment into the women’s game.
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“The expansion will also encourage more investment in women’s football because people will be able to see the level of work being done across different countries and understand the importance of supporting the growth of the women’s game.”
