WAFCON: Nigeria coach Madugu declares preparations for next WAFCON kicked off long ago

Nigeria women’s national team coach Justine Madugu revealed that preparations for the 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) started after winning the 2025 edition in Morocco.

The Super Falcons will host Benin on Tuesday in the return leg of the final round of 2026 WAFCON qualifying at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The 10-time African champions head into the game with a comfortable 2–0 advantage from the first leg in Togo last Friday, thanks to goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo.

Despite the first-leg advantage, coach Madugu insisted the job is far from done in Monday’s press conference, warning against complacency as the Super Falcons began preparations for the WAFCON after their last victory.

“For us, the preparation towards the next WAFCON started already with us long before now and everything about the last WAFCON as far as we are concerned, is a closed chapter. We are beginning a new chapter considering the fact that this edition takes you to the World Cup.”

“Everybody has improved now, and everybody is trying to make sure that they also give a good account of themselves. The ultimate goal, each time you prepare for any game, you want to make sure that we win, which we did in the first game, and tomorrow will not be different.”

“It’s not going to be easy, but the ultimate goal is that we want to win and we are hoping to win tomorrow.”

Madugu praised the Benin side, which features several players based in Germany, France, Morocco, and Equatorial Guinea, for their spirited showing in the first leg, noting that no team can be underestimated in African women’s football.

“The last game against Benin Republic, we all knew it was not going to be an easy game based on the information we had regarding the Beninua team. We also had a few challenges, had to do with the release of players, arrival travel arrangements generally, which equally accounted for some of our players not having adequate rest. The situation tomorrow will be different.”

Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade also called for focus in her comments:

“We’ve been working, as you can see, we’ve been working on some of our mistakes from last match and we want to make sure that we win because it’s a journey and we know what this particular game means to us. We need to seal the win so we can qualify for the next WAFCON and ultimately be making it to the World Cup.”

Goals from Esther Okoronkwo and Chinwendu Ihezuo in the first half handed Nigeria the win at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo.