Super Falcons coach Madugu highlights WAFCON 2026 qualifier plans

Head coach of the Super Falcons of Nigeria Justin Madugu is already making plans for the WAFCON 2026 qualifiers despite just winning the WAFCON 2024 tournament, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 61-year-old led the Nigerian Women's team to victory in Morocco last month, bringing Mission X to fruition, even earning himself a Ballon d'Or nomination.

Despite his recent success, Coach Madugu has cried out that preparations need to begin in earnest ahead of Nigeria's two-legged against Benin Republic as they kick off their WAFCON 2026 qualifiers campaign.

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Madugu calls for Super Falcons' Early Preparation

“We have achieved what we have achieved. It has brought so much attention on the team, which has also made our job even more difficult, with the opposition and everybody,” Madugu said in quotes revealed by Brila.

“The qualifiers for the next edition, we have a game already in October, which we have to start planning for, and we equally must try as much as possible to spread, check more players.”

The WAFCON-winning coach also confirmed that he, alongside his coaching crew, are weighing the options of bringing in new players to blend with some of the members of the squad that travelled to Morocco last month. He intensified the need for squad depth and competition in the squad.

“If we had had more camps before we travelled, we had wanted to look at quite a number of other players, but because we didn’t have that time, it was too short.

“It was risky for us to begin to look at players that you don’t know much about, but now that this one is done and dusted, we must get the team and create more competition in the team.”

Coach Madugu also revealed the Super Falcons will hold training camps to evaluate potential new talents.

“So we hope between now and October to have like one or two camps and see how we can also give new players the opportunity to also showcase what they can also do,” he continued

“We already have a program, a template of what we hope to do between now and the next qualifying game, and then what will also happen after the qualifying game, We are looking at that, trying to put things together,” the 61-year-old concluded.

Nigeria's first game against Benin Republic will be played on the 20th of October, while the second leg will be played in Nigeria eight days later.