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| Nigeria women's national football team | |
|---|---|
| Name | Super Falcons |
| Association | Nigeria Football Federation |
| Confederation | Confederation of African Football (CAF) |
| Coach | Randy Waldrum |
| Captain | Asisat Oshoala |
| Top scorer | Perpetua Nkwocha (80) |
| Home stadium | Moshood Abiola National Stadium |
| Fifa code | NGA |
| Fifa max | 38 |
| Fifa max date | December 2008 |
| Fifa min | 46 |
| Fifa min date | July 2003 |
Nigeria women's national football team
The Nigeria women's national football team, commonly known as the Super Falcons, is the senior women's association football team representing Nigeria in international competition. The team is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation and is the most successful women's side in Africa Women’s Championship history, combining domestic talent from the Nigeria Women Premier League with players competing for clubs in England, Spain, United States, China, and France.
Formed amid rising global interest following the FIFA Women's World Cup inception, the team made early continental dominance in the African Women's Championship (now Women's Africa Cup of Nations), claiming multiple titles across the 1990s and 2000s while competing against rivals such as South Africa women's national football team, Cameroon women's national football team, Ghana women's national football team, and Equatorial Guinea women's national football team. The Super Falcons' World Cup appearances include the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup, 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup campaigns, featuring notable matches versus United States women's national soccer team, Germany women's national football team, Brazil women's national football team, and Sweden women's national football team. The side has been marked by controversies involving the Nigeria Football Federation over bonuses, squad treatment, and coaching appointments mirrored in disputes seen in FIFA and Confederation of African Football adjudications. Key tournaments such as the All-Africa Games and invitational events like the Peace Queen Cup have supplemented competitive exposure alongside friendly fixtures against Canada women's national soccer team and Australia women's national soccer team.
The Super Falcons wear colors drawing from the Flag of Nigeria—primarily green and white—with home kits traditionally featuring green shirts, white shorts, and green socks, and away kits reversing the palette; kit manufacturers and sponsors over time have included global brands that also outfit national teams like Nike (company), Adidas, and regional suppliers. The team badge and crest reflect national symbols similar to those used by the Nigeria Football Federation and are displayed on the shirts worn by stars such as Asisat Oshoala, Mercy Akide, Perpetua Nkwocha, and Stephanie Alozie. Matches at venues like Moshood Abiola National Stadium and Godswill Akpabio International Stadium contribute to a home identity that combines national colors with motifs tied to Nigerian culture and regional supporters organized in fan groups resembling supporter bodies for teams like Arsenal F.C. and Chelsea F.C..
At the FIFA Women's World Cup, the team reached knockout stages in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup (Round of 16) and has recorded notable group-stage performances against top-tier sides including Norway women's national football team and Republic of Ireland women's national football team. In the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, the Super Falcons have amassed a record number of titles, often defeating opponents such as Cameroon and South Africa in finals. Qualification for the Summer Olympics has been secured in cycles where the squad outperformed continental rivals during CAF qualifying tournaments. The team has also entered regional competitions like the African Games and participated in invitational tournaments impacting FIFA rankings alongside fixtures against Mexico women's national football team and Japan women's national football team.
Squads often mix domestic league standouts from the Nigeria Women Premier League with overseas professionals in leagues such as the FA Women's Super League, Liga F, National Women's Soccer League, and Division 1 Féminine. Prominent players across eras include Asisat Oshoala, Perpetua Nkwocha, Mercy Akide, Rasheedat Ajibade, Florence Omagbemi, Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, Uchenna Kanu, Chinwendu Ihezuo, and Tosin Doyin. Captains and senior figures have transitioned into coaching or administrative roles in structures like the Nigeria Football Federation and have influenced pathways mirroring systems in UEFA and CONMEBOL member nations.
Coaching appointments have included domestic and international tacticians, with names such as Randy Waldrum, Florence Omagbemi (as former head coach), and other figures tied to coaching education programs associated with FIFA Coaching Instructor initiatives and Confederation of African Football technical courses. Management structures interface with the Nigeria Football Federation and CAF competition offices for tournament logistics, squad selection, and compliance with FIFA regulations. Technical directors, fitness coaches, and analysts often draw experience from club environments like Rangers F.C. academies, Barcelona Femení, and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin.
Youth development pipelines feature age-grade teams such as the Nigeria women's national under-20 football team and the Nigeria women's national under-17 football team, which have competed in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup respectively, producing alumni who progressed to the senior team. The domestic Nigeria Women Premier League and state-level competitions collaborate with clubs, academies, and university programs modeled after systems in England and United States collegiate soccer to promote talent. Partnerships, scouting, and exchange initiatives have been pursued with federations and clubs across Europe, Asia, and North America to enhance coaching, sports science, and player welfare.
Record-holders include Perpetua Nkwocha as all-time top scorer and long-serving captains like Asisat Oshoala with significant appearance counts; milestone victories and caps are tracked by the Nigeria Football Federation and documented in CAF competition archives. FIFA ranking fluctuations reflect tournament results against teams such as United States, Germany, Sweden, and continental rivals; statistical analyses include goalscoring, clean sheets, and appearance records comparable to historical data maintained by FIFA and Confederation of African Football.
Category:African women's national association football teams Category:Women's football in Nigeria