WAFCON 2026: ‘A huge burden on us’ – Justine Madugu makes bold Super Falcons claim

Head coach of the Super Falcons of Nigeria, Justine Madugu, has made a huge claim about the pressure the Nigerian team are facing ahead of the WAFCON 2026 tournament, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 62-year-old served as an assistant under Randy Waldrum before taking on the head coach role in 2024, winning the WAFCON 2024 tournament in Morocco last year.

The WAFCON was Nigeria's 10th, and the success of the team saw Madugu recognised globally as he was nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or Johan Cruyff Award.

The coaches nominated for the #ballondor Johan Cruyff Trophy 🫡

Who do you want to win? 🏆#UWCL || #WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/K1YHPuyPcH

— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) August 7, 2025

Three Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman won the award with 84 points, followed by Renée Slegers (Arsenal) – 46 points, Sonia Bompastor (Chelsea) – 15 points, Arthur Elias (Brazil national team) – 5 points, and Justine Madugu, who had no points.

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Super Falcons: Justine Madugu makes bold WAFCON 2026 claim

The semi-finalists of the tournament will seal direct qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, but the four teams eliminated in the quarter-finals will enter the FIFA Women's World Cup play-off pathway, providing two additional chances to qualify.

While the Super Falcons are clear favourites heading into the WAFCON tournament, Madugu admitted there's a huge pressure this time, larger than what they faced in the previous edition last year.

“The next WAFCON will also serve as qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, so our priority will first be to ensure that we make it to the World Cup,” Madugu said in an interview with CAF Online.

“The second goal will be to defend the trophy and bring it back to Nigeria.

“We know it won't be easy because as champions everybody will now be looking at us.

“We are holding something precious that everybody wants, but we will remain resolute and focused and try as much as possible to achieve both objectives.

“So, there's a huge burden on us.

“We need to be careful with what we do wherever we are because we must set a good example and try to be exemplary in everything we do,” the former Adamawa United coach concluded.

The Super Falcons have been drawn into the WAFCON 2026 Group C alongside Zambia and Malawi. Their first game will be played against the Scorchers of Malawi at Stade El Barid on the 28th of July.