Super Falcons forward, Francisca Ordega, has blamed inadequate preparation for Nigeria’s failure to secure an automatic place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria’s hopes of defending their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title ended on Sunday after the Super Falcons suffered a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon, their earliest-ever exit from the competition.
Speaking to ESPN after the defeat, Ordega questioned whether the team had been adequately prepared for a tournament that also served as a pathway to the 2027 World Cup.
“Of course not,” Ordega said when asked if the team’s preparations had been good enough.
“Of course not. I think it’s something we really need to talk about.”
The Nigeria international stressed that adequate preparation was essential because World Cup qualification was at stake.
“If you’re coming for a World Cup competition or qualification, you have to prepare because everyone is coming here [with the] World Cup as everyone’s target,” she said.
Ordega added that the team must learn from the setback and improve its approach to future competitions.
“Moving forward, we’ll be able to do better with our preparation,” she said.
The defeat to Cameroon ended Nigeria’s opportunity to claim one of Africa’s automatic qualification places through the WAFCON.
However, the 10-time African champions still have another route to the 2027 World Cup through the play-in round.
The Super Falcons are scheduled to face South Africa on Thursday, with a place in the intercontinental play-off at stake.
Nigeria had been seeking to retain the continental title after winning the previous edition of the WAFCON, but the defeat to Cameroon means they must now negotiate another qualification route to reach the tournament in Brazil.
The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the first edition to feature 48 teams, with the expanded tournament scheduled to be hosted by Brazil.
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