The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is expected to announce a new head coach for the Super Falcons this week as preparations begin in earnest for Nigeria’s 2028 Olympic qualifying campaign.

The appointment comes at a crucial time for the 10-time African champions following a disappointing 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign and the subsequent failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The new coach will inherit a Super Falcons side seeking to rebuild its confidence and restore stability ahead of a demanding Olympic qualification programme.

A senior official of the National Sports Commission (NSC) disclosed that the NFF is expected to unveil the new coach this week as part of efforts to commence preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games early.

The official said the identity of the incoming coach would be made known once the federation concludes the process.

The appointment follows the decision to part ways with Justine Madugu and his technical crew after Nigeria’s disappointing campaign in Morocco.

The Falcons failed to reach the semi-finals of the 2026 WAFCON before losing 2-1 to South Africa in the World Cup qualification play-off.

The defeat ended Nigeria’s historic record of appearing at every FIFA Women’s World Cup since the inaugural edition in 1991.

Attention has now shifted to the Olympic qualifiers, where the new coach will have little time to settle before competitive action begins.

Nigeria will face Comoros in the second round of the African qualifying series, with both legs scheduled for the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne-Remo, on October 9 and 13.

The Super Falcons received a bye into the second round as one of Africa’s three highest-ranked teams in the competition.

Comoros, meanwhile, advanced after an emphatic 30-0 aggregate victory over Sudan.

Nigeria must negotiate four two-legged knockout rounds to secure one of Africa’s two available places at the 2028 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Los Angeles.

Victory over Comoros would set up a third-round meeting with either DR Congo or Morocco, with that stage scheduled for February 23 to March 6, 2027.

The subsequent round will feature one of Tunisia, Senegal, Benin Republic or Mali before the final qualifying stage later in 2027. The urgency surrounding the appointment is therefore significant.

Nigeria returned to the Olympic women’s football tournament at Paris 2024 after a 16-year absence and will be seeking to qualify for successive editions for the first time in many years.

The new coach will be expected to quickly establish a tactical identity, assess the available players and restore confidence within the squad.

The appointment is also likely to provide an indication of the direction the NFF intends to take with the Super Falcons following the setbacks in Morocco.

Former Falcons coach Thomas Dennerby has been linked with a possible return, while local coaches, including Florence Omagbemi have also reportedly been considered.

Whoever eventually receives the mandate will face an immediate test against Comoros.

With the Olympic qualifiers fast approaching, the NFF’s decision this week will be closely watched as Nigeria begins another rebuilding process with a clear objective — returning the Super Falcons to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.