Interim Super Falcons coach Augustine Eguavoen has outlined plans to build a 50-player pool as Nigeria target a first Olympic women’s football gold medal after their disappointing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign and failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
According to ESPN, Eguavoen said the team had agreed to put the recent setbacks behind them and focus on winning gold at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The online sports newspaper reported that the Falcons’ coach spoke after Nigeria defeated Comoros 7-0 on aggregate in their Olympic qualifying tie, describing the gold-medal ambition as a difficult but achievable target.
“The first meeting we had, we collectively agreed that we put the WAFCON disappointment they had behind and set our eyes on a gold medal at the Olympics,” he said.
“It is easier said than done.”
The Super Falcons’ renewed ambition follows a difficult period for Africa’s most successful women’s national team. Nigeria lost their continental title after a quarter-final defeat to Cameroon at the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco. The exit ended their hopes of securing automatic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, while a subsequent play-off defeat to South Africa closed their second route to the tournament.
Nigeria have won a record 10 African titles but are yet to win an Olympic football medal. Their best performance came at the 2004 Athens Games, where they reached the quarter-finals. After missing the 2012, 2016 and 2020 editions, the team returned to the Olympics at Paris 2024 following a 16-year absence but exited in the group stage.
Eguavoen, who also serves as technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation, said rebuilding the squad would be a gradual process that must continue regardless of who becomes the team’s permanent coach.
“We agreed, whether I am coach or not, as I am still part of the team as technical director, that it has to be a gradual process,” he said.
“Super Falcons are still the number one team in Africa.”
Eguavoen was appointed interim coach following the departure of Justin Madugu and his technical staff after Nigeria’s disappointing WAFCON campaign. The NFF is expected to appoint a permanent coach in the coming weeks.
The interim coach said Nigeria had the quality, players and support needed to compete with the world’s leading teams, but warned that opponents would continue to raise their performance against the former African champions.
“This is about the ten time African champions, and anybody that plays against the Super Falcons tend to raise the game,” he said.
“So, going forward, we expect to meet tougher opposition, no doubt about that. Because Super Falcons is number one in Africa and remains number one. We have the quality, we have the personnel and we have the support.”
Nigeria are also due to face Morocco in the third round of Olympic qualifying, with the fixture expected to provide another test of the team’s progress.
A key part of Eguavoen’s strategy is to widen the pool of players available to the national team, particularly as several members of the current squad enter their thirties. He wants about 50 players across different positions to create stronger competition for places and give the coach more options.
Of the 28 players invited for the two matches against Comoros, 27 eventually joined the squad, but several did not get playing time in either leg.
Eguavoen said those who missed out would be given opportunities during the next international window in November, when Nigeria hope to arrange friendly matches.
“We invited 28 different players, and we ended up with 27. And most of them didn't get a feel of the game, both games,” he said.
He added that he had spoken to the players who did not feature and assured them that they would have opportunities in November, irrespective of who was in charge by then.
“I explained to them and they understand. I don't owe them an explanation for the sake of it, but being a professional, I think sometimes it is good, so that we understand ourselves and we are on the same page,” he said.
Eguavoen pointed to Blessing Okpe, who made her senior international debut against Comoros and impressed in the second leg, as an example of the value of giving younger players opportunities.
“If Okpe wasn't given a chance today, we won't know that she is such a good player,” he said.
However, he acknowledged the pressure on the technical crew to balance squad experimentation with the need to win matches, particularly following Nigeria’s recent disappointments.
“But then, we have to be a little bit mindful, because you lose one game, people start saying all sorts of things,” he said. “We will make sure we have a solid team, and see how we can give everyone opportunity. So we have a pool of players to choose from.”
Eguavoen said expanding the squad would make it easier for the eventual permanent coach to select the best players for each position rather than rely on a relatively small group.
“We want to have a pool of players, about 50, all in different positions, then it is easier for a coach to pick his best players,” he said.
“Which is a very big headache, a good headache.”
The Falcons’ immediate task is to improve their performance in the remaining Olympic qualifiers while building the depth and consistency needed to compete for gold in Los Angeles in 2028.
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