Calls for the resignation of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, President Ibrahim Gusau have intensified following the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The renewed criticism followed Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat to South Africa in Thursday’s decisive play-off in Morocco, a result that ended the country’s long-standing record of qualifying for every Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1991.
South Africa and Ghana have advanced to the FIFA Inter-Confederation Play-Off Tournament, while Nigeria’s qualification campaign has come to an end. The setback has also shifted attention from the pitch to the leadership of Nigerian football, with the NFF election holding next month.
Some Nigerian football supporters have taken to social media to demand that Gusau step aside rather than seek another term. Several fans accused the NFF leadership of incompetence and called for his resignation following the latest disappointment.
The anger comes against the backdrop of a series of disappointing results across Nigeria’s national teams. For the second consecutive edition, the country failed to qualify for the men’s FIFA World Cup after losing to DR Congo on penalties in the African play-off final in November 2025.
As a result, Nigeria will miss both the men’s and women’s World Cups at the same time for the first time, a development that has intensified scrutiny of the country’s football administration.
Before the decisive play-off against South Africa, Gusau had defended the NFF’s preparations for the Super Falcons, pointing to a series of friendly matches arranged for the team.
He cited two matches against Cameroon, played in Nigeria and Yaoundé between November and March, as well as an attempt to organize a friendly against Senegal. Gusau also defended the decision to prioritize African opposition rather than European teams, arguing that the Falcons needed to prepare against teams they were likely to face in competitive African matches.
The NFF president also pointed to the challenges involved in arranging international friendlies for women’s teams in Africa, particularly the cost of travelling between countries.
He urged critics to be patient with the federation and expressed confidence that the team would be ready for the tournament.
However, the defeat to South Africa has given those earlier assurances a new context, with critics now questioning whether the preparations were sufficient to secure World Cup qualification.
The criticism of the NFF leadership also extends beyond the senior men’s and women’s teams. The Golden Eaglets have failed to qualify for three consecutive FIFA U-17 World Cup editions despite being five-time world champions at the level. Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles’ expected absence from the next Africa U-20 Nations Cup has placed their chances of qualifying for the next U-20 World Cup in jeopardy.
The Super Falcons’ World Cup failure also came shortly after a disappointing WAFCON campaign. Nigeria entered the 2026 tournament as defending champions but suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to debutants Malawi in their opening match before eventually reaching the quarterfinals, where they lost 1-0 to Cameroon.
Also Read: Super Falcons miss World Cup after South Africa defeat
The sequence of setbacks has transformed the Falcons’ World Cup failure into a broader debate about the direction of Nigerian football and the performance of the NFF administration. Despite the growing calls for his resignation, Gusau is preparing to seek another four-year term as NFF president.
The federation’s Elective Congress has been moved to September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State, where a new Executive Committee will be elected for the next four years. The date was changed from September 26 because the Super Eagles are scheduled to face Madagascar in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on September 25.
The NFF has already inaugurated its Electoral and Electoral Appeals Committees and pledged that the process will be free, fair and credible.
The situation presents a difficult political challenge for Gusau, as supporters are calling for his exit while he prepares to seek another mandate. His administration can point to initiatives in areas including coaching education, competitions and football development, but critics continue to question whether those efforts have translated into stronger national teams and improved results.
The leadership debate has also moved beyond social media, with former Nigeria captain Segun Odegbami announcing plans to approach the courts over the NFF electoral process.
Odegbami said he wants judicial clarification on the laws and regulations governing Nigerian football and believes the September election should be temporarily halted while outstanding governance concerns are addressed. His concerns include the composition of the NFF Congress, representation of state football associations, government’s role as a major funder of football and the structure and cost of NFF elections.
Despite the growing anger, demanding Gusau’s resignation is different from legally removing an elected NFF president.
FIFA’s statutes require member associations to manage their affairs independently and without interference from third parties. Consequently, the Nigerian government cannot simply remove an elected NFF president because supporters or public officials are dissatisfied with his performance.
Any challenge to the NFF leadership must therefore go through the federation’s own governance and electoral structures, subject to applicable laws and the NFF Statutes.
The September election will consequently be crucial, as the NFF Congress—not the wider football-supporting public—will determine who leads the federation for the next four years.
Shooting Stars Sporting Director Tobi Adepoju summed up the political reality by noting that the NFF election will ultimately not be decided on social media.
He also raised questions about the capacity of government to reform Nigerian football without violating FIFA’s rules on interference and whether there are credible alternatives capable of taking over the running of the game.
With the election approaching, the debate over Gusau’s leadership is therefore likely to continue, as calls for change collide with the realities of NFF electoral politics.
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