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NFF fact-finding committee confirms camp infiltration by officials and major administrative failures that contributed to Super Falcons’ WAFCON and World Cup setbacks.
A fact-finding committee set up by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that camp infiltration by officials and deep administrative failures contributed significantly to the Super Falcons’ poor performance at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and their subsequent failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The six-member committee, chaired by Ambassador Fanny I. Amun, submitted its report dated August 21, 2026. Other members included Alex Mana, former Super Falcons forward Desire Oparanozie, coach Ladan Bosso, former Super Eagles midfielder Mutiu Adepoju, and Nasiru Jibril as secretary.
The panel was mandated to uncover the root causes of Nigeria’s recent dismal showings in international competitions, with particular focus on the Super Falcons’ campaign in Morocco. Nigeria entered the tournament as defending champions but suffered a shock 3-2 group-stage defeat to Malawi, lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarter-finals, and later fell 2-1 to South Africa in the African playoff. The result meant the Falcons missed the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history.
One of the committee’s most striking findings was its criticism of how some officials allegedly gained unrestricted access to the team’s camp. “The committee didn’t agree with the whole process of how some officials infiltrated the camp at will,” the report stated. It did not name the individuals involved but recommended clearer camp-management structures and a stronger separation of responsibilities between administrative officials and the technical team.
The committee found no evidence that individual players exercised undue influence over team selection or technical decisions. It also stated that players cooperated with one another and that there was no indication of players controlling selection processes.
Regarding defender Ashleigh Plumptre’s absence, the panel confirmed she had undergone surgery and was medically unfit to play. This was corroborated by doctors from both the national team and her foreign club, clearing suggestions of any selection dispute.
Beyond the national team, the committee identified broader systemic problems affecting Nigerian football. These include administrative weaknesses, inadequate regulation, poor player-development structures, insufficient investment in technology, weak data-management systems, and challenges within the women’s football league.
The panel recommended that the NFF establish a clear and sustainable template for team management and player development rather than relying on ad-hoc approaches. It called for the training and retraining of administrative and technical personnel, the deployment of modern technology for player identification, registration and age verification, and stronger institutional support for the women’s league.
It also urged a restructuring of government and corporate support for football to attract sustainable funding aligned with developmental needs, and the introduction of stronger regulatory mechanisms across all levels of the game.
The committee concluded that Nigeria’s recent failures cannot be blamed on any single factor or individual. Instead, they result from interconnected problems spanning administration, technical structures, camp management, regulation, data systems, league development and institutional capacity.
The report provides a roadmap aimed at restoring confidence among players, clubs and stakeholders while rebuilding a more professional and sustainable football system capable of delivering improved results on the international stage.