The Nigeria Football Federation has apologised to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians after the Super Falcons failed to secure a direct ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup through the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau issued the apology on Tuesday on behalf of the federation, the Super Falcons and the wider Nigerian football family, acknowledging the disappointment caused by the team’s setback.
“We wish to extend a special and heartfelt apology to His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic, Bola Tinubu, for this disappointment,” Gusau said.
“It is 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.”
Nigeria entered the 2026 WAFCON as defending champions and record 10-time winners, with automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil among the major prizes at stake.
The four teams that reach the semi-finals of the tournament will qualify automatically for the World Cup.
The Falcons, however, still have a route to Brazil through the CAF play-off pathway.
“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 play-off tickets,” Gusau said.
The NFF president said the federation, technical team and players remained committed to securing Nigeria’s place at the global tournament through the remaining qualification routes.
He also apologised to the National Assembly, National Sports Commission, sponsors, stakeholders and millions of Nigerian supporters at home and abroad.
Gusau acknowledged the Federal Government’s backing of the team, particularly the recognition and rewards handed to the Falcons after their previous WAFCON triumph.
The team won its record-extending 10th African title in Morocco last year after a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over the host nation.
That success had raised expectations ahead of the 2026 tournament, with Nigeria seeking to retain its continental crown while also securing an early World Cup ticket.
The stakes are particularly high because the Super Falcons have appeared at every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the competition began.
For Nigeria, therefore, failure to reach the tournament in Brazil would represent an unprecedented break from that record.
Gusau said the federation would now conduct an “honest assessment” of its preparation, technical planning, logistics and overall operations.
The review is expected to identify areas that require improvement before the team enters the remaining qualification process.
“We hear the disappointment of Nigerians, we share it and we accept our responsibility. But we are not giving up,” he said.
The NFF’s statement also stressed that the team owed Nigerians a strong response in the remaining stages of the qualification campaign.
CAF’s qualification structure gives the quarter-final losers another opportunity to pursue World Cup qualification through the African play-off route. Two African teams will emerge from that pathway to enter FIFA’s wider play-off tournament.
The Falcons must therefore regroup quickly, with the NFF insisting that the failure to secure automatic qualification does not represent the end of Nigeria’s World Cup campaign.
For a team that has dominated African women’s football for decades, the immediate challenge is now to convert the remaining opportunity into another appearance on the world stage.
