Super Falcons coach Justin Madugu signs new deal until 2027

Super Falcons head coach, Justin Madugu, has confirmed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has renewed his contract for another two years, extending his stay with the national women’s team until October 2027.

Madugu made the disclosure during a post-match press conference in Abeokuta on Tuesday, shortly after leading the nine-time African champions to qualification for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The Super Falcons advanced with a 3-1 aggregate win over Benin Republic after a 1-1 draw in the return leg.

“I have been given a new contract from October 1, 2025, till October 1, 2027,” the 61-year-old coach announced. Madugu, who guided the Falcons to their 10th WAFCON title earlier this year, expressed mixed feelings about the team’s performance despite the qualification success.

“The draw didn’t come as a surprise because we knew it was going to be a tough game. It was not going to be an easy game based on what we knew about the Beninoise team,” he said.

He also apologised to fans for what he described as an underwhelming display. “I equally want to use this opportunity to apologise to Nigerians for not meeting their expectations. Each time the Super Falcons go out to play, there are always high expectations in terms of results and performance. Sometimes there can be off days, and we want to consider today’s match from that perspective,” Madugu added.

In the game, Ashleigh Plumptre opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 12th minute with a powerful header from Esther Okoronkwo’s corner, netting her first goal for the Super Falcons. However, the Beninoise side equalised early in the second half but failed to find another breakthrough.

Despite the draw, the result was enough to seal Nigeria’s spot in the 2026 WAFCON, which will take place from March 17 to April 3, 2026.