SPORT: NFF Under Scrutiny As Super Eagles, Falcons Fail To Qualify For World Cup

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is facing growing criticism after both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons failed to qualify for their respective FIFA World Cups.

On Friday, the NFF announced that it had set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the poor performances of Nigeria’s national teams in recent international competitions.

One of the main issues the committee will examine is the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Falcons were eliminated by Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). They were then given another chance to qualify through the African play-offs but lost 2-1 to South Africa.

The result means Nigeria will miss the Women’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament began in 1991. The Super Falcons had previously qualified for every edition.

The Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and have not appeared at the tournament since 2018.

Speaking on the situation, sports administrator Ayodeji Adegbenro described the Falcons’ failure as particularly disappointing.

“It is sad. Particularly for the Super Falcons who have qualified for every World Cup since its inception in 1991,” Adegbenro told DAILY POST.

“We got so used to these girls winning; we stopped preparing them adequately for tournaments,” he added.

The disappointing results have increased pressure on the NFF, with calls for changes within the football governing body.

NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, who is seeking re-election this year, has also faced criticism, with some calling for him to step aside.

However, Adegbenro believes the problems go beyond the NFF president and that wider reforms are needed.

“Those who are asking are right, considering the results under the current administration.

“However, the issue is bigger than Gusau, we need to fix the NFF statues, that is the first step towards getting it right,” he said.

There are also questions over whether the newly established fact-finding committee can genuinely identify and address the problems affecting Nigerian football.

Adegbenro questioned the purpose of the committee, saying: “I think it’s just deflection on the part of the NFF.

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“What happens if this committee indicts the NFF in their investigation?”

With Nigerian football facing setbacks at both the men’s and women’s national-team levels, Adegbenro believes major changes are necessary.

“Our football needs a hard reset, we need to clean the proverbial Augean stables,” he added.