The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been thrown into a frantic last-minute hunt for a new opponent after the Cape Verdean Football Federation suddenly pulled out of a planned international friendly against the Super Falcons this April.
Persecondnews reports that the April 2026 FIFA women’s international window runs from 7 to 18 April 2026.
Nigeria’s African champions are using the period to sharpen their squad ahead of defending their continental title in Morocco in July, having recently clashed with Cameroon.
Preparations had reached an advanced stage, with invited players due to report to camp, when Cape Verde informed the NFF at the eleventh hour that the team would not be travelling to Nigeria.
The two nations last met during the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in late 2023.
Nigeria claimed a 2-1 victory away before sealing qualification with a thumping 5-0 home win, part of their journey to a record-extending 10th continental title in Morocco.
A senior official in the Cape Verde camp, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, admitted the late cancellation was unavoidable.
“It was a very difficult call for us. There were internal challenges, mainly logistical and administrative, that made the trip to Nigeria unfeasible at this time.
“We understand the importance of the fixture, but we could not guarantee the level of organisation and preparation required.”
Another source close to the Cape Verde setup added that concerns from the technical crew about the possibility of a heavy defeat also contributed to the withdrawal, even though initial arrangements between both federations had already been completed.
The abrupt pull-out has disrupted the Super Falcons’ carefully planned build-up schedule.
Officials at the Glass House are now urgently contacting federations across Africa and beyond in a desperate bid to line up a short-notice replacement to preserve match fitness and team cohesion ahead of upcoming international assignments.
The tight timeframe, however, presents a major obstacle, as many national teams are already locked into their own fixtures or training camps.
This latest setback has intensified questions over the planning and coordination of the Super Falcons’ international calendar, particularly at such a critical juncture when consistent preparation is essential to sustaining Nigeria’s dominance in women’s football on the continent.
Despite the chaos, NFF officials remain cautiously optimistic that a replacement fixture can still be secured, although logistical realities are making the prospects increasingly slim.
With limited preparation windows remaining before the next Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 in Morocco—where overseas-based players are expected to be released only days before kick-off—the pressure is mounting to ensure the Super Falcons do not head into the tournament underprepared.
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