The Super Falcons of Nigeria will start their 2023 World Cup campaign on Friday against Canada.
At Australia’s Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Nigeria will take on the Olympic champions, a team that has appeared in every Women’s World Cup tournament.
Nigeria has qualified for every World Cup but has never advanced past the quarterfinals. In 1999, they suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brazil.
In the most recent tournament, the West Africans were eliminated by eventual champion France in the round of 16.
The Super Falcons are looking to make history in Australia and New Zealand after winning just four of their previous 26 World Cup matches.
Preparations for the team’s World Cup campaign were marred by the frosty relationship between the team’s coach, Randy Waldrum, and the Nigerian Football Federation.
Waldrum had called out the NFF over what he described as inadequate preparation by his team.
“I know we are not prepared the way we need to be, and I have been very frustrated with the NFF and the lack of support,” the coach said. “We were supposed to have a camp for 10–12 days in Nigeria before going to Australia for another 10-15 days, but the federation cancelled the camp in Nigeria.”
The NFF Communications Director, Ademola Olajire, criticised Waldrum for disclosing some details of what was going on behind closed doors rather than attempting to work things out with the team.
Ademola disputed Waldrum’s allegations as unfounded and characterised the coach as being illiterate.
“We have to first ask when the European season ended. The man wanted a two-week camp for only home-based professionals. Two weeks ago, he released his final list of 23. There was absolutely no need for any camping for home-based players again, except to waste resources.”
“Instead of admitting his glaring deficiencies, he is there shooting his mouth off. He knows he will not have Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde for the opening match against Canada, yet he left out Ngozi Okobi and Regina Otu from the squad. His outbursts are nothing but an afterthought. He is only talking three days before the team’s departure to the World Cup,” Olaijire stated.
It was also gathered that the NFF almost sacked Waldrum after his outburst, but the timely intervention of the ministry of youth and sport, which rejected the proposal, prevented Waldrum’s dismissal.
The ministry believed the decision would have adverse effects on the team’s performance in Australia and New Zealand.
Also, there were rumours that the Super Falcons were planning to boycott their opening game as a protest over allowances and bonuses; this rumour was later refuted by the team’s captain, Enome Ebi.
