Nigeria's Super Falcons Fail to Qualify for FIFA Women’s World Cup Due to Poor Pre-Tournament Preparation

Former forward Francisca Ordega blames lack of adequate training for early exit from WAFCON quarter-finals.

KSports

August 14, 2026 at 03:01 AM

Photo: Vanguard Nigeria - Sports

Nigeria’s Super Falcons Fail to Qualify for FIFA Women's World Cup Due to Poor Pre-Tournament Preparation

Former Nigeria women's national team star Francisca Ordega has admitted that Nigeria’s failure to secure automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup was due to inadequate pre-tournament preparation. Speaking after their early WAFCON quarter-final exit, Ordega emphasized the vital role proper preparation plays in such high-stakes competitions. Nigeria’s hopes of retaining their title ended with a 1-0 defeat against Cameroon on Sunday.

The Super Falcons have still not yet conceded a goal at this year's tournament through stringent defense and goalkeeper Beatrice Onajunma’s efforts, but the team was unable to capitalize on this momentum in time for qualification. Nigeria now has another chance to qualify for the 2027 World Cup if they can win their upcoming play-in round match against South Africa on Thursday.

“We failed to prepare well for this tournament and that’s why we are where we are right now,” said Ordega, speaking with ESPN.

Nigeria's WAFCON Early Exit

Ordega stressed the importance of thorough preparation ahead of the competition.

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