Super Falcons Can’t Miss 2028 Olympics – Avre-Odeli

Former Nigerian international Patience Avre-Odeli has issued a passionate appeal to the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), urging them to begin immediate and thorough preparations for the Super Falcons to secure one of Africa’s two tickets to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television, Avre-Odeli, a former player for the national team, warned that the road to the Olympics will be extremely difficult. The qualification process involves 35 African nations battling for just two available spots, making it one of the continent’s most fiercely contested tournaments.

She reminded football administrators that the Super Falcons will face the winner of the preliminary round tie between Sudan and Comoros in the second round of the African qualifying phase.

That match is scheduled to take place between October 5 and 13, 2026. However, Avre-Odeli stressed that waiting until then to ramp up preparations would be a costly mistake.

“I have been following the Super Falcons’ games even after my retirement, and I know from experience that without adequate preparation, the team may not perform as expected,” she said. “The Olympic qualifiers have always been tough for African teams because only a few tickets are available—and Nigeria simply cannot afford to miss out.”

Avre-Odeli placed special emphasis on the role of the NSC, noting that the commission bears primary responsibility for funding Olympic-related preparations. She called on NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, whom she described as an astute sports administrator, to work in close coordination with the NFF leadership.

According to her, this collaboration must ensure that the Super Falcons receive everything they need—including quality friendly matches, adequate camping periods, timely travel arrangements, and expert technical input—across all four qualifying rounds.

The former international did not mince words about the intensity of the competition. She noted that the five-stage qualification journey will test every facet of the team, from physical conditioning to mental resilience, and that only intensive, long-term planning can see Nigeria through.

“I want to believe that Mallam Shehu Dikko and the NFF leadership will work in harmony to provide the Super Falcons all they need to navigate these phases and pick one of the two African tickets to Los Angeles 2028,” Avre-Odeli concluded. “No stone should be left unturned.”