Administrative Issues Stall Super Falcons’ Planned UK Friendly Against Jamaica

Administrative Issues Stall Super Falcons’ Planned UK Friendly Against Jamaica

By Our Reporter 

Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will no longer proceed with their planned training tour of the United Kingdom later this month after Jamaica withdrew from a proposed international friendly arrangement, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

According to SavidNews, the trip, initially scheduled for May 23 to 28, had been designed as part of the team’s preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which will also serve as qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The proposed tour was arranged by the Nigeria Football Federation to compensate for the team’s inactivity during the March FIFA international window after previously planned friendly matches failed to materialise.

Several senior members of the squad had already been expected to miss the trip due to club commitments, while the federation had also begun plans for additional friendly matches during the June 7–14 FIFA international window.

Head coach Justine Madugu was expected to use the UK camp to evaluate new players, test tactical options, and further strengthen the squad ahead of the continental championship.

However, Jamaica’s withdrawal from the proposed fixture has now led to the cancellation of the entire camping programme.

A senior official of the Nigeria Football Federation, who spoke anonymously, disclosed that the idea for the friendly originally came from the Jamaican Football Federation because of the large number of Jamaican players based in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom.

According to the official, discussions between both federations were still ongoing before the arrangement eventually collapsed due to administrative challenges.

“The initial plan for the friendly in the UK was proposed by our Jamaican counterparts considering the huge number of their players in Europe, especially in the UK. However, discussions were still ongoing before the friendly was eventually cancelled due to some administrative issues,” the official said.

The official added that although the proposed match would have provided an opportunity for the coaching crew to assess new players and intensify preparations for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, attention has now shifted to securing alternative friendlies during the June FIFA window.

“We are now focused on the June window as plans are underway to secure two friendly matches in Nigeria against another WAFCON-bound team. The process is already being finalised,” the official added.

Nigeria remain the most successful side in the history of women’s football in Africa, having won a record 10 continental titles, with the technical crew continuing efforts to build a competitive squad for upcoming international competitions.