Justin Madugu, head coach of the Nigeria women’s national football team, has revealed that the team’s preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations have been affected by a lack of international friendly matches.
Madugu explained that several attempts were made to arrange fixtures during the April international window, but many opponents declined the invitations.
According to him:
Most of the teams are not ready to play us. The federation will accept, but by the time they approach their coaches, they will say no because they don’t want to play the Super Falcons.
He added that more than five countries were approached for possible friendlies, but none were finalized, leaving the team without key preparation games.
Madugu also noted that many European teams are currently prioritising internal preparations and World Cup qualifying fixtures within their confederations, which has further limited available opponents.
Softfootball understands that the situation is a concern for the Super Falcons technical team, as competitive friendlies are seen as vital ahead of major tournaments like WAFCON.
Despite the setback, the team is expected to continue internal training camps as they prepare to defend their status as one of Africa’s strongest women’s national teams.
