NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau Defends Super Falcons Preparation: “We Did Our Best”

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau has defended the preparation of the Super Falcons for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), insisting that the federation did everything within its means to prepare the team for the tournament.

Gusau made the remarks while speaking ahead of Nigeria’s crucial World Cup play-off encounter with South Africa, following the Super Falcons’ quarter-final defeat to Cameroon.

“We Did Our Best”

With criticism directed at the NFF over Nigeria’s preparation for WAFCON, Gusau said Nigerians should be more objective when assessing the federation’s efforts.

He pointed to the friendly matches organised against Cameroon and Senegal as evidence of the federation’s efforts to prepare the Super Falcons against strong African opposition.

“We made Super Falcons have a friendly match with the Cameroonian national team in Nigeria and in Yaoundé,” Gusau said.

He also explained that the NFF attempted to arrange another friendly against Senegal shortly before the tournament.

According to the NFF president, preparing an African team for an African tournament comes with unique challenges, particularly because some federations lack the financial resources to travel for friendly matches.

“I Cannot Engage Norway Or Sweden”

Gusau also addressed the argument that Nigeria should have played more European opposition before WAFCON.

He argued that Nigeria needed to prepare specifically for the type of opposition they were likely to face in Morocco.

“I cannot engage a team from Norway or Sweden while I know that we are coming here for an African tournament.”

Gusau maintained that Cameroon and Senegal provided appropriate opposition because Nigeria could potentially face teams with similar styles and strengths during the competition.

The Super Falcons eventually faced Cameroon in the quarter-final, losing 1-0 and missing out on the semi-finals.

Gusau Challenges Malawi And Morocco Comparison

The NFF president was also asked about comparisons between Nigeria’s preparation and that of teams such as Malawi, Morocco and Cameroon.

Reports had highlighted the number of international friendlies and camps organised by some of those teams before the tournament.

Gusau responded by arguing that the circumstances surrounding the teams were different.

“Go and look at the Malawian team and see how many of them are playing professional football.”

He made a similar point about Morocco, arguing that the availability of players differs significantly between countries where most players are based domestically and Nigeria, whose leading players are largely playing professionally abroad.

According to Gusau, Nigeria is heavily dependent on FIFA international windows because clubs are not always required to release players outside those periods.

The Challenge Of International Windows

Gusau explained that the NFF's ability to organise preparation camps and friendlies is affected by the limited number of international windows available to women's national teams.

He said attempts were made to organise additional matches, but some potential opponents could not afford the cost of travelling.

“Sometimes you have to take all the burden before you can make it.”

He cited the friendly against Senegal as an example, saying Nigeria had to shoulder the financial burden involved in making the fixture happen.

“People Just Like To Talk Anyhow”

Gusau also appeared frustrated by some of the criticism surrounding the Super Falcons.

He urged Nigerians to be careful about making claims without considering the circumstances behind the team's preparation.

“Sometimes people just like to talk.”

He later added that people could “talk anyhow” without being mindful of what they were saying.

His comments come amid intense debate among Nigerian football fans over whether the NFF did enough to prepare the Super Falcons for a tournament in which several traditional African powerhouses struggled.

Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana, who finished first, third and fourth respectively at the previous WAFCON, all failed to reach the 2026 semi-finals.

“I Don’t Have Any Pressure”

Gusau was also asked whether the NFF was under pressure after Nigeria's men's team failed to qualify directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons were forced to take the longer route to World Cup qualification.

His response was emphatic:

“I don't have any pressure.”

Gusau insisted that the federation had done its best and remained confident that Nigeria would recover.

“We know we did our best and we know the guys are doing their best and by the grace of God they will bounce back and we'll get a cup.”

Nigeria’s Young Talent Is Also Leaving

The NFF president also addressed the development of home-based players, explaining why it is becoming increasingly difficult for Nigerian national-team coaches to retain promising young players for long periods.

According to Gusau, foreign clubs and scouts are increasingly monitoring Nigerian youth players.

He pointed to the country's U20 team, saying several players who featured during the qualification process had already moved abroad to become professionals.

“Most of these countries believe in the product of Nigeria. They believe in the talent and the strength of Nigerian players.”

Gusau said the situation can disrupt the plans of national-team coaches because players identified during youth competitions can quickly leave the country.

He noted that this issue is not restricted to women's football, with Nigerian male youth players also being recruited at increasingly younger ages.

Super Falcons Must Now Focus On The World Cup

With the WAFCON title no longer within reach, Nigeria's immediate priority is World Cup qualification.

The Super Falcons face South Africa in a crucial play-off, with the winner moving closer to securing a place at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Gusau called on Nigerians to remain patient and positive while backing the players.

He expressed confidence that the team had recovered mentally and physically from the Cameroon defeat and was ready to fight for the next objective.

For the NFF president, the message is clear: despite the disappointment in Morocco, the federation believes it provided the Super Falcons with the preparation it could manage and now expects the players to respond on the pitch.