The final international window for women’s football in 2024 has now opened. Nigeria’s Super Falcons risk missing a crucial preparation opportunity. This period is vital ahead of next year’s WAFCON in Morocco.

The 10-time African champions have not yet confirmed any friendly matches. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is working tirelessly to arrange fixtures.

This international break runs from Monday, November 24, to Tuesday, December 2. It offers national teams a chance to play at least two matches.

Many other African nations have already scheduled their friendlies. Teams like Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, and South Africa are prepared. However, the Super Falcons are still searching for opponents. For example, Ghana is set to face England on December 2.

When asked about potential Super Falcons’ games during this window, the NFF President simply responded, “We are checking.”

Sources close to the NFF revealed that a proposed friendly fell through. The opposing national association withdrew, despite earlier agreements for the match.

Reports suggest the decision came from the opposing team’s coach. He reportedly preferred to face a “lesser opponent” instead of the reigning African champions.

The Falcons’ next major challenge is defending their WAFCON title. The tournament will hold in Morocco next year. They secured their spot in October, beating the Benin Republic 3-1 on aggregate.

CAF has not yet announced official dates for the 2026 WAFCON. However, this tournament is crucial. It is expected to serve as a qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Missing this international window means the Falcons may not regroup properly until the next break.

Beyond their unbeaten run at WAFCON in July, the Super Falcons have played only three other matches this year. As of August, they remain Africa’s top-ranked team, holding the 36th spot globally. FIFA will release the next ranking on December 11.

NFF President Gusau had previously declared an end to poor preparations for Nigerian teams in late 2023. He stated, “The era of Nigerian teams arriving at major championships just to participate is gone. Our objective now is to ensure that our teams can strongly contend for honours anywhere, and that can only be done by preparing the teams well ahead of qualifiers and competitions.”