NFF boss hails women's football growth, targets more success after U-17 World Cup qualification
- Adaramola Yemiblak
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
Nigeria football federation (NFF), president Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau,affirmed the federation's commitment to push women football in the country, in all levels of participation as the feature of Nigeria women football is bright.
The NFF president made this statement on Sunday during the finals of the FCT FA Women's Inter-Area Council football tournament where he reacted to the success of the tournament and the recent qualifications of the under-17 national team Flamingos for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
Speaking to members of the press, Gusau attributed the success of women's football under his administration to focus and the commitment to actions necessary for the growth of Nigerian football. He stated that the Flamingos aim to surpass their bronze medal achievement at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India.
"We have seen a lot of future in women's football. So therefore, it is for us to concentrate and do what we are supposed to do. It's not easy, but we just have to do it. Just the day before yesterday, the under-17s were able to qualify for the next World Cup. And by the grace of God, the work ahead of us is not about the qualification. It's about making sure that we surpass the past record, which is the third place that we won about two years ago."
He also stated that plans are underway for the Super Falcons in preparation for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The NFF is arranging high-quality friendly matches for the 11-time WAFCON champions.
"And then you see the Super Falcons. We are now gearing up for the next AFCON that is coming up in Morocco. By the grace of God, early next month, they are going to be engaged in two friendly matches.
And then after that, before they go for the tournament proper, they'll also be engaged to another two friendly matches, which are going to be a grade A friendly matches. Then they come back and spend some 10 days in Morocco before they move into the tournament proper. And maybe in Morocco, another two matches for them before they move on to the tournament."
Since Gusau's ascension to power as the 40th NFF president on September 30, 2022, Nigerian women's football at all levels has actively developed and grown under his administration. Nigerian women's national teams have participated in continental and intercontinental tournaments and qualification campaigns, showcasing both successes and challenges against teams in all tournaments entered.
Nigeria's senior women's team, the Super Falcons, qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games marking their return to the prestigious tournament after sixteen years. They earned this qualification with a hard-fought victory against South Africa in the final round in April 2024.
Furthermore, the Super Falcons reached the Round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. There, they strongly challenged England and ultimately lost on penalties after an unbeaten run in regular time. They qualified for the World Cup after finishing fourth at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Meanwhile, the U-20 team, known as the Falconets, have also been active, participating in the 2022 and 2024 editions of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. In the 2022 tournament held in Costa Rica, they reached the quarterfinals before being eliminated by the Netherlands.
They successfully qualified for the 2024 World Cup in Colombia but unfortunately, they were unable to replicate the achievements of the 2010 and 2014 teams that reached the finals. In their appearance at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia, the Falconets reached the Round of 16. Their qualification for these World Cups shows their consistent performance at the continental level.
The U-17 team, the Flamingos, have also prominently featured in international competitions. They won the bronze medal at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India by defeating Germany in the third-place match. Although their performance at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in the Dominican Republic fell short of expectations after a promising group stage, the USA eliminated them in the quarter-finals.
The Flamingos have successfully qualified for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, with a 4-0 victory over Algeria demonstrating their continued presence in African women's youth football.
There has certainly been a rise in the world of women's football in Nigeria under Gusau's administration, from the strategic solving of financial problems which include payment of allowances of players and coaching staffs and the outstanding performance in all levels of the women's national team on the global stage.
