| Nigeria | |
| Badge: | Flag of Nigeria.svg |
| Badge Size: | 190px |
| Nickname: | Super Falcons |
| Association: | Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) |
| Sub-Confederation: | WAFU (West Africa) |
| Confederation: | CAF (Africa) |
| Captain: | Chiamaka Nnadozie |
| Most Caps: | Onome Ebi (109) |
| Top Scorer: | Perpetua Nkwocha (80)[1] |
| Fifa Trigramme: | NGA |
| Fifa Max: | 23 |
| Fifa Max Date: | July – August 2003; August 2004; March 2005 |
| Fifa Min: | 46 |
| Fifa Min Date: | August 2022 |
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| First Game: | 5–1 (Nigeria; 16 February 1991) |
| Largest Win: | 15–0 (Ivory Coast; 11 May 2019) |
| Largest Loss: | 8–0 (Karlstad, Sweden; 6 June 1995) 8–0 (Leverkusen, Germany; 25 November 2010) 8–0 (Le Mans, France; 6 April 2018) |
| World Cup Apps: | 9 |
| World Cup First: | 1991 |
| World Cup Best: | Quarter-finals (1999) |
| Regional Name: | Olympic Games |
| Regional Cup Apps: | 4 |
| Regional Cup First: | 2000 |
| Regional Cup Best: | Quarter-finals (2004) |
| 2Ndregional Name: | Women's Africa Cup of Nations |
| 2Ndregional Cup Apps: | 14 |
| 2Ndregional Cup First: | 1991 |
| 2Ndregional Cup Best: | Champions (1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018) |
| 3Rdregional Name: | WAFU Zone B Women's Cup |
| 3Rdregional Cup Apps: | 2 |
| 3Rdregional Cup First: | 2018 |
| 3Rdregional Cup Best: | Champions (2019) |
| Type: | women |
The Nigeria women's national football team, nicknamed the Super Falcons, represents Nigeria in international women's football and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The team is Africa's most successful international women's football team, having won a record eleven Women's Africa Cup of Nations titles;[2] their most recent title in 2018, after defeating South Africa in the final. The team is also the only women's national team from the Confederation of African Football to have reached the quarterfinals in both the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Summer Olympics.
They are also one of the few teams in the world and only African team to have qualified for every edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, with their best performance at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup where they reached the quarterfinals.
They won the first seven African championships, and through their first 20 years lost only five games to African competition: 12 December 2002 to Ghana in Warri, 3 June 2007 at Algeria, 12 August 2007 to Ghana in an Olympic qualifier, 25 November 2008 at Equatorial Guinea in the semis of the 2008 Women's African Football Championship and May 2011 at Ghana in an All Africa Games qualification match.
The Super Falcons have been able to dominate beyond Africa in such arenas as the FIFA Women's World Cup or the Olympic Games however. The team has been to every World Cup since 1991, but managed just once to finish in the top two. In 2003, the Super Falcons turned out to be the biggest disappointment of the first round, failing to score a single goal and losing all three Group A matches. They did little better in 2007, drawing only one of their Group B matches. However, they faced the group of death in both 2003 and 2007, grouped both times with rising Asian power North Korea, traditional European power Sweden, and a historic women's superpower in the USA.
Nigeria hosted the African women's championship finals for the third time in 2001 which were then canceled due to a severe outbreak of gang induced violence within the Nigerian area, replacing Gabon, which was initially granted the right to host but later pulled out citing financial difficulties, and won it for the seventh time in a row. Nigeria's Super Falcons and Ghana's Black Queens represented Africa in China for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.The "Falconets" are the country's junior team (U-20), which performed creditably in the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship held in Russia when they beat Finland 8–0 before they were sent packing by Brazil in the Quarter-finals. They were the runner-up to Germany at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Nigeria also played in the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup held in Canada and lost to Germany in the finals 0–1, Asisat Oshoala got both the golden ball and golden boot.
The "Flamingoes" are the country's cadet team (U-17), which qualified for the inaugural women's U-17 World Cup New Zealand 2008. Nigeria qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup where they were placed in Group A with South Korea, Norway and hosts France.
The Super Falcons have engaged in multiple disputes with the NFF over back pay, unpaid bonuses and bonus amounts, tournament preparation, and facilities, including sit-in protests, training boycotts, or threats to boycott matches in 2004,[3] [4] 2007,[5] 2016,[6] 2019,[7] [8] 2022,[9] [10] and 2023.[11] [12]
The Nigeria women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Super Falcons".
See also: FIFA Women's World Ranking. [13]
Worst Ranking Best Ranking Worst Mover Best Mover
| Rank | Year | Matches played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Best | Worst | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Move | Rank | Move | ||||||
| 41 | 2021 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 41 | 1 |
| 45 | 2022 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 39 | 2 | 46 | 5 |
| 40 | 2023 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 45 | 1 |
See main article: Nigeria women's national football team results.
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
On 11 July 2023, the coaching squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup was released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).[14]
| Name | Role | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Randy Waldrum | Head coach | ||
| Ben Waldrum | Associate Head coach | ||
| Jesse Goleman | Assistant coaches | ||
| Lauren Gregg | |||
 Makwualla Auwal Bashir | Goalkeeping coach |
See main article: List of Nigeria women's national football team managers.
| Name | Start date | End date | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jo Bonfrere | managed Nigeria at 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup, concurrently with the men's national team of Nigeria.[15] | |||
| Paul Hamilton | regarded as the first coach of the women national team; managed Nigeria at 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup[16] [17] | |||
| Ismaila Mabo | managed Nigeria to quarter finals at 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, thus regarded as the most successful coach;[18] [19] led Nigeria to 2000 Olympics and 2004 Olympics | |||
| Samuel Okpodu | 2002 | managed Nigeria at 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup | ||
| Godwin Izilien | managed Nigeria to win 2004 African Women's Championship[20] | |||
| Ntiero Effiom | managed Nigeria at 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup; led Nigeria to win 2003 All-Africa Games[21] | |||
| Joseph Ladipo | managed Nigeria at 2008 Olympics; led Nigeria to win 2007 All-Africa Games;[22] managed Nigeria to third-place finish at 2008 African Women's Championship[23] [24] | |||
| Uche Eucharia | October 2011 | managed Nigeria to win 2010 African Women's Championship; managed Nigeria at 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup | [25] | |
| Kadiri Ikhana | April 2012 | November 2012 | led Nigeria to fourth place at 2012 African Women's Championship | [26] |
| Edwin Okon | June 2015 | managed Nigeria to win 2014 African Women's Championship; managed Nigeria at 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup | [27] | |
| Christopher Danjuma | September 2015 | led Nigeria to fourth place at 2015 All-Africa Games | [28] | |
| Florence Omagbemi | February 2016 | December 2016 | led Nigeria to win 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations | [29] [30] |
 Thomas Dennerby | January 2018 | October 2019 | led Nigeria to win at 2019 WAFU Zone B Women's Cup | [31] [32] [33] |
| Randy Waldrum | 2020 | October 2023 | [34] [35] | |
| Justin Madugu | November 2023 | Interim Coach | ||
| Randy Waldrum | November 2023 | |||
See main article: List of Nigeria women's international footballers.
Following players have been called up to a squad in the past 12 months.
Notes:
Bold indicates winning squads
See main article: List of Nigeria women's international footballers.
| Name | Caps | Goals | Career | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Onome Ebi | 109 | 3 | 2003– | |
| 2 | 52 | ? | 1995–2007[39] | ||
| 3 | – | ||||
| 4 | – | ||||
| 5 | – | ||||
| 6 | – | ||||
| 7 | – | ||||
| 8 | – | ||||
| 9 | – | ||||
| 10 | –--> |
| Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80 | 99 | 1999–2015 | |||
| 2 | – | |||||
| 3 | – | |||||
| 4 | – | |||||
| 5 | – | |||||
| 6 | – | |||||
| 7 | – | |||||
| 8 | – | |||||
| 9 | – | |||||
| 10 | –--> |
Champions: 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018
See main article: Nigeria at the FIFA Women's World Cup.
| FIFA Women's World Cup record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | |||||||
| 1991 | Group stage | 10th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | |
| 1995 | 11th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 14 | ||
| 1999 | Quarter-finals | 7th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 12 | |
| 2003 | Group stage | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | |
| 2007 | 13th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2011 | 9th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||
 2015 | 21st | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
 2019 | Round of 16 | 16th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | |
| 10th | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | |||
 2027 | To be determined | ||||||||
| Total | 9/10 | 30 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 23 | 65 | ||
| FIFA Women's World Cup history | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Stadium |
 1991 | Group stage | 17 November | L 0–4 | Jiangmen Stadium, Jiangmen | |
| 19 November | L 0–1 | Zhongshan Stadium, Zhongshan | |||
| 21 November | L 0–2 | Jiangmen Stadium, Jiangmen | |||
| 1995 | Group stage | 6 June | L 0–8 | Tingvallen, Karlstad | |
| 8 June | D 3–3 | Olympia Stadion, Helsingborg | |||
| 10 June | L 2–3 | Tingvallen, Karlstad | |||
| 1999 | Group stage | 20 June | W 2–1 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena | |
| 24 June | L 1–7 | Soldier Field, Chicago | |||
| 27 June | W 2–0 | Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, Landover | |||
| 1 July | L 3–4 | ||||
| 2003 | Group stage | 20 September | L 0–3 | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia | |
| 25 September | L 0–5 | ||||
| 28 September | L 0–3 | Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus | |||
| 2007 | Group stage | 11 September | D 1–1 | Chengdu Sports Center, Chengdu | |
| 14 September | L 0–2 | ||||
| 18 September | L 0–1 | Hongkou Stadium, Shanghai | |||
| 2011 | Group stage | 26 June | L 0–1 | Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim | |
| 30 June | L 0–1 | Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt | |||
| 5 July | W 1–0 | Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, Dresden | |||
| 2015 | Group stage | 8 June | D 3–3 | Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg | |
| 12 June | L 0–2 | ||||
| 16 June | L 0–1 | BC Place, Vancouver | |||
| 2019 | Group stage | 8 June | L 0–3 | Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims | |
| 12 June | W 2–0 | Stade des Alpes, Grenoble | |||
| 17 June | L 0–1 | Roazhon Park, Rennes | |||
| Round of 16 | 22 June | L 0–3 | Stade des Alpes, Grenoble | ||
 / 2023 | Group stage | 21 July | D 0–0 | Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne | |
| 27 July | W 3–2 | Lang Park, Brisbane | |||
| 31 July | D 0–0 | ||||
| Round of 16 | 7 August | D 0–0 (4–2) |
| Summer Olympics record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 1996 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2000 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | |
| 2004 | Quarter-finals | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2008 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | |
 2012 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2016 | ||||||||
 2020 | ||||||||
| 2024 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | |
| Total | 4/8 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 23 | |
| Africa Women Cup of Nations record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | |||||||
| 1991 | Champions | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| 1995 | Champions | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| 1998 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
 2000 | Champions | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| 2002 | Champions | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 2 | |
| 2004 | Champions | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
| 2006 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
| 2008 | Third place | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2010 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 | |
| 2012 | Fourth place | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | |
 2014 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 | |
 2016 | Champions | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
 2018 | Champions | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
 2022 | Fourth place | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 4 | |
| 2024 | Qualified | |||||||
| Total | 11 Titles | 73 | 57 | 9 | 7 | 223 | 32 | |
| African Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | |||||||
| 2003 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
 2007 | Champions | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 2 | |
 2011 | did not qualify | |||||||
| 2015 | Fourth place | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 7 | |
| 2019 | See Nigeria women's national under-20 football team | |||||||
| 2023 | Runners-up | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
| Total | 4/4 | 18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 52 | 11 | |
| WAFU Zone B Women's Cup | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | ||||||
 2018 | 3rd | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 |
| 2019 | Winner | 1st | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 2 |
| Total | Group Stage | 1/1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 17 |
| Year | Result | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | +11 | ||
| 3rd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | −1 |