AFCON 2025
The Nigeria Football Federation has appointed Austin Eguavoen as interim head coach of the Super Falcons, handing him responsibility for the team’s opening fixtures in qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The move comes as the federation continues its search for a substantive head coach for the women’s national team.
Eguavoen’s immediate assignment is a second-round qualifying tie against Comoros, with both legs scheduled for the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo on October 9 and 13. Nigeria received a bye into the second round as one of the continent’s three highest-ranked teams, while Comoros advanced after a staggering 30-0 aggregate win over Sudan.
The appointment follows the sack of former head coach Justin Madugu, whose exit came after the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in the tournament’s history. The NFF’s Technical Director role gives Eguavoen a familiar seat within the federation, having previously handled the Super Eagles on an interim basis as well.
Eguavoen brings significant pedigree to the assignment, having guided Nigeria’s men’s team to a bronze medal at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. His experience across both the men’s and women’s setups makes him a trusted, if temporary, hand for the federation during the transition period.
He will be assisted by Christopher Danjuma, head coach of Nigeria Women’s Football League side Nasarawa Amazons, who has previously led the Falconets at multiple FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup cycles. Former Super Falcons defender Ayisat Yusuf, who won 68 caps and featured at four Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, joins as an assistant coach, alongside goalkeeper trainer Olatunji Baruwa.
The 10-time African champions face a demanding road to Los Angeles, needing to navigate four rounds of two-legged knockout ties to secure one of Africa’s two available Olympic qualification spots. A win over Comoros would send Nigeria into a third-round tie against either DR Congo or Morocco early next year.
With Eguavoen and his interim technical team now in place, attention turns to how quickly they can build cohesion within the squad ahead of October’s high-stakes opening test against Comoros.
