The Nigeria Football Federation has apologized to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians after the Super Falcons missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, acknowledging the disappointment caused by their early exit from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
NFF president Ibrahim Musa Gusau issued the apology on behalf of the federation’s Executive Committee, the Super Falcons and the wider Nigerian football family after Nigeria were eliminated by Cameroon in the quarterfinals.
The Super Falcons lost 1-0 to the Indomitable Lionesses, with Myriam Wamen’s first half freekick settling the contest and sending Cameroon into the semifinals.
The result ended Nigeria’s hopes of defending their continental title at the tournament and, more significantly, cost them one of Africa’s automatic tickets to next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
In its statement, the NFF acknowledged the expectations surrounding the team and the support provided by the Federal Government.
“We recognise the disappointment this result has caused millions of Nigerians who passionately support and identify with the Super Falcons,” the federation said.
“The team went into the competition carrying the hopes of the nation and the enormous goodwill and support of the Federal Government, and we regret that we were unable to deliver the result expected at this stage.”
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The federation also singled out President Tinubu, whose administration rewarded the Super Falcons extensively after their previous WAFCON triumph.
The NFF pointed to the financial rewards, national honours, houses and reception given to the players and officials following their success, describing the support as evidence of the president’s commitment to Nigerian sports and women’s football.
“It is therefore with genuine humility and regret that we acknowledge that we have not been able to repay that confidence with the outcome expected at this stage of the competition,” the statement said.
“We sincerely apologise to Mr President and deeply appreciate his continued interest, encouragement and investment in Nigerian football.”
The federation extended the apology beyond the presidency, also acknowledging the National Assembly, National Sports Commission, sponsors, stakeholders and the millions of supporters who backed the team during the tournament.
NFF insists Super Falcons still have a route to Brazil
Despite the disappointment, the federation stressed that Nigeria’s World Cup hopes have not ended.
The quarter-final defeat removed the Super Falcons from the automatic qualification route, but they can still advance through the CAF playoff pathway and subsequently compete for one of the remaining places at the FIFA playoff tournament.
The NFF said the team remains determined to take advantage of that opportunity.
“A window of opportunity remains through the CAF play-off pathway, and the Super Falcons are determined to fight for one of the two available CAF playoff tickets and subsequently pursue qualification through the FIFA playoff tournament,” the statement said.
“We must now regroup, learn from this setback and focus completely on the opportunity that remains.”
Federation promises review of preparation and planning
The apology also came with a commitment from the NFF to examine what went wrong before and during the tournament.
The federation said it would conduct an assessment covering the team’s preparation, technical planning, logistics and overall operations, with the aim of identifying areas that require improvement.
“The NFF will also undertake an honest assessment of our preparation, technical planning, logistics and overall operations, with a determination to identify areas requiring improvement and ensure that the team is better prepared for the challenges ahead,” it said.
That review will come as the Super Falcons attempt to recover from a result that has placed greater pressure on their World Cup qualification campaign.
The team are still chasing a place at the 2027 tournament, but the route is now considerably more demanding than the one they expected when they arrived in Morocco.
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The federation ended its statement by calling on Nigerians to continue supporting the Super Falcons as they pursue the remaining qualification route.
It also framed the team’s next challenge as an opportunity to protect a World Cup record that Nigeria have maintained since the women’s tournament began in 1991.
“We hear the disappointment of Nigerians, we share it and we accept our responsibility. But we are not giving up,” the NFF said.
“Our resolve is to ensure that the Super Falcons return stronger, fight harder and do everything possible to make Mr. President, the Federal Government and Nigerians proud once again.”
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The immediate task for the Super Falcons is to recover from the Cameroon defeat and navigate the playoff route successfully. The automatic ticket is gone, but Nigeria’s pursuit of another appearance at the Women’s World Cup remains alive.
