Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has welcomed the continued growth of women’s football in Africa but believes much more investment is needed if the continent is to compete consistently with the world’s leading nations.
Speaking during Nigeria’s official pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s opening Group C match against Malawi at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Madugu described the expansion of the tournament as a positive step while urging stakeholders to build on the progress already made.
The 2026 edition is the second WAFCON to feature 16 teams, with the expanded format giving more nations the opportunity to compete on Africa’s biggest women’s football stage.
“It is a good development,” Madugu said when asked about the growth of the competition.
“The expansion gives more countries the opportunity to participate, showcase their players and expose their talent. It also creates more awareness and helps attract more attention to women’s football.”
However, the Super Falcons coach stressed that increasing the number of participating teams should be accompanied by sustained investment in every aspect of the women’s game.
“It’s still work in progress. We still expect a lot to be done that will address the welfare of players, capacity building for coaches and the development of more facilities across the continent so that the development is deliberate and we can catch up with other continents.”
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Madugu’s comments come at a time when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has continued to increase its financial commitment to the women’s game.
Ahead of WAFCON 2026, CAF doubled the tournament winners’ prize money from $1 million to a record $2 million while increasing the overall prize fund by 67 per cent to $5.8 million. Every participating nation will also receive increased financial support, reflecting the governing body’s growing investment in women’s football.
Despite those gains, the financial gap between the women’s and men’s continental championships remains huge. The winners of the most recent Africa Cup of Nations received $10 million, five times the prize awarded to the WAFCON champions, a journey towards greater financial parity.
Coach Madugu, however believes development goes beyond prize money. it’s also about creating stronger structures through better player welfare, improved coaching education and increased investment in facilities that will allow African nations to produce more elite female footballers and compete consistently on the global stage.
Nigeria will begin the defence of their WAFCON title against Malawi on Tuesday, with the Super Falcons also targeting one of Africa’s four automatic qualification places for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
