Former Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum, has publicly challenged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

He queried the alleged receipt of $960,000 from FIFA. These funds were meant for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Australia and New Zealand co-hosted the tournament.

Allegations of Missing FIFA Funds

In a widely circulated video, the former coach made serious claims. He stated an unnamed FIFA source alerted him. This source revealed that each participating country received $960,000. This payment was for tournament preparation support.

The disputed funds convert to roughly ₦1.4 billion. They were reportedly credited to the NFF’s accounts. This transaction occurred in October 2022. It was about ten months before the tournament’s kickoff.

According to Waldrum, FIFA released the money. This happened in October 2022. It aimed to support women’s football development and team preparation for participating nations.

Waldrum’s Grievances: Lack of Preparation and Staffing

Waldrum expressed significant disappointment. He noted that despite the alleged financial inflow, the NFF failed to camp the Super Falcons adequately. This happened before the World Cup.

The former coach also criticized the federation’s technical staffing limits. He stated he attended the global tournament without essential technical support. Waldrum highlighted that FIFA allows up to 22 technical staff. However, his team only had about eleven.

He shared details from his FIFA contact. “This person told me that in October, every country was given $960,000 from FIFA to prepare for the World Cup,” Waldrum explained. He then questioned, “Where is that money?”

“If Nigeria got that money, why didn’t we have a camp in November?” he asked. He pointed out that a five-day training window was wasted. “We went to Japan, we flew in and played the game and went home,” Waldrum added.

Logistics and Accountability Concerns

Waldrum also addressed travel logistics. He mentioned that FIFA offers to fund business class tickets. This funding is then deducted from a country’s post-World Cup earnings. “So there’s no excuse to say we didn’t have money to buy tickets,” he argued. He also linked this to the lack of camps.

The coach further lamented the absence of crucial scouting personnel. “I don’t have an analyst, and I scout,” Waldrum revealed. He compared this to the US national team setup. “The US has a scout in Europe, watching teams play,” he noted.

Waldrum stressed the impact on performance. “We don’t even have scouts going with us to Australia,” he said. He expressed concern about scouting opponents if the team advanced from the group stage. “Everything I have to do is on videos and what I can pick up online,” he stated.

He urged Nigerians to demand transparency. “These are the kinds of things that the people of Nigeria don’t question,” Waldrum said. He suggested the situation would be different in other nations. “If the US Soccer Federation were doing the same things, it would have to answer to it,” he concluded.