By Enitan Abdultawab

Former Super Falcons forward Francisca Ordega has attributed Nigeria’s failure to secure automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup to inadequate preparation for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Falcons’ hopes of defending their continental title ended in disappointing fashion after they suffered a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon on Sunday, their earliest-ever exit from the WAFCON.

Speaking to ESPN after the setback, Ordega was critical of the team’s preparation for the tournament, stressing that proper planning was essential given that World Cup qualification was at stake.

“Of course not,” Ordega said when asked if the team’s preparations had been good enough. “Of course not. I think it’s something we really need to talk about.”