Shaibu Urges Super Falcons To Forget WAFCON Exit, Focus On South Africa World Cup Playoffs

Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has urged the Super Falcons to put their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) disappointment behind them and focus on securing qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Shaibu said the team must quickly recover from their quarter-final defeat to Cameroon and turn their attention to Thursday’s crucial World Cup qualification clash against South Africa.

In a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media, Ben Ogbemudia, the NIS boss urged the players and technical crew not to lose confidence following their early exit from the continental championship.

He reminded the Super Falcons of their status as Africa’s most successful women’s national team, having won the continental title a record 10 times.

According to Shaibu, that pedigree should inspire the players rather than place additional pressure on them as they prepare for the decisive encounter with the South African women’s national team.

He also urged the coaching staff and technical crew to remain positive, stressing that setbacks are an inevitable part of sport and that champions are defined by their ability to respond to adversity.

Shaibu charged the players to take the “never-die Nigerian spirit” into Thursday’s encounter, insisting that the fighting mentality that has underpinned Nigeria’s dominance of women’s football in Africa must be evident against South Africa.

He further appealed to Nigerians to continue supporting the team rather than subjecting the players to criticism following their WAFCON disappointment.

“Rather than criticism, Nigerians should pray for them and rally behind them as they chase the World Cup ticket,” Shaibu said.

The Super Falcons’ attention now turns to the World Cup qualification battle after Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses ended Nigeria’s WAFCON campaign with a quarter-final victory.

Despite the setback, Shaibu expressed confidence that the Super Falcons can overcome South Africa with proper preparation, determination and the right mentality.

He urged the players to use the disappointment as motivation and return to winning ways by securing a positive result against the Banyana Banyana on Thursday, 13 August 2026.