NFF names Eguavoen interim Super Falcons coach for Olympic qualifiers
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Augustine Eguavoen as the interim head coach for the Super Falcons. This appointment comes as the team prepares for their 2028 Olympic Games qualifying campaign. Eguavoen, a former international defender and ex-head coach of the Super Eagles, will lead the senior women’s national team in their second-round Olympic qualifiers against Comoros in October.
The NFF’s decision to name Eguavoen as interim coach was announced on Tuesday, with the search for a permanent head coach ongoing. Eguavoen, also known as “Cerezo,” brings experience from managing at the international level, including leading the Super Eagles to a bronze medal at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Assisting Eguavoen will be Christopher Danjuma, the head coach of Nasarawa Amazons, a Nigeria Women’s Football League side. Danjuma has prior experience with Nigeria’s women’s national teams, having led the Falconets at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica. Former Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer Olatunji Baruwa will also join the staff, having worked with several national teams including the Super Eagles, CHAN Eagles, Flying Eagles, and Golden Eaglets.
Additionally, former Super Falcons defender and coach Ayisat Yusuf has been named an assistant coach. Yusuf represented Nigeria in 68 international caps, participating in four Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, three FIFA Women’s World Cups, and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Olympic Qualifying Campaign
The Super Falcons, who are ten-time African champions, received a bye into the second round of the Olympic qualifiers due to their ranking as one of the top three teams in the competition. Their campaign is set to begin against Comoros, with both legs of the tie scheduled to take place at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo. The matches are slated for October 9 and October 13, 2026.
Comoros advanced to this stage after defeating Sudan with an aggregate score of 30-0. To secure one of Africa’s two available spots at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, Nigeria must successfully navigate four rounds of two-legged knockout ties.
Should the Super Falcons overcome Comoros, they will progress to the third round. This stage is scheduled for February 23 to March 6, 2027, where they would face either the Democratic Republic of Congo or Morocco.
A potential fourth-round fixture for Nigeria would see them compete against one of Tunisia, Senegal, Benin Republic, or Mali. These matches are scheduled to occur between October 4 and October 12, 2027. The final round of the qualifying race is set for November 23 to December 4, 2027, with potential opponents including Guinea, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Central African Republic, Algeria, or Burkina Faso.
Recent Challenges and Changes
Eguavoen’s appointment follows a period of significant changes within Nigerian football administration. The NFF board, previously led by Ibrahim Gusau, resigned en masse after the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals in Brazil. This marked the first time Nigeria missed the tournament since its inception in 1991.
The Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup was preceded by a quarter-final exit at the Women’s African Cup of Nations in August, where they lost 1-0 to Cameroon. This outcome led to the immediate resignation of the previous head coach, Justin Madugu, and his technical crew.
This marks Eguavoen’s first managerial role with a women’s team. His appointment is part of ongoing efforts to address challenges within Nigerian football, which has also seen the Super Eagles fail to qualify for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers after missing only one World Cup since their debut at USA ’94.
The Super Falcons will begin their 2028 Olympic Games qualifying campaign in October.
Source: channelstv.com
