2028 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. FCT stakeholders list 10-point plan for Falconets
2028 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. FCT stakeholders list 10-point plan for Falconets
Some football stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have outlined a 10-point development plan for rebuilding the Falconets ahead of the 2028 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
Stakeholders who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Wednesday in Abuja urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to begin preparations early for the tournament.
They made the call after the Falconets’ 0-1 quarter-final defeat to Colombia at the Władysław Król Municipal Stadium in Łódź, Poland, which ended Nigeria’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
According to them, the next phase of the Falconets development should be based on a structured and sustained programme rather than preparations that begin shortly before a major tournament.
Their 10-point plan includes early identification and monitoring of eligible players, regular and extended training camps, improved tactical and physical development, and improved goal opportunities scoring conversion.
Others include stronger squad depth across all departments, regular domestic and international friendly matches, international training tours, and better coordination between the national team and domestic clubs.
Also, adequate logistical support for players and coaches as provided for the Super Eagles and Super Falcons, and consistent assessment of players throughout the preparation period.
Chukwudi Eze, a football analyst, said early planning would allow the technical crew to identify promising players, monitor their development, build understanding within the squad and address weaknesses ahead of the tournament.
“Regular exposure to quality opposition would help the players gain experience and prepare them for the demands of international football.
“ I want to urge the technical crew to intensify tactical development, improve the team’s fitness and ensure that the players spend adequate time together in camp,” he said.
Eze commended the players for reaching the quarter-finals in spite of the challenges they encountered before and during the competition.
“Credit must be given to the players for the progress they made. We saw improvement as the competition progressed,” he said.
He said that the team’s change in formation was gradually becoming more comfortable for the players, adding that there was better movement.
More attacking options, improved understanding of roles and greater confidence in possession during the quarter-final.
“The major problem was converting the opportunities created into goals,” he said.
He identified the team’s second-half performance as an area requiring attention, and said that the Falconets often looked strong in the first 45 minutes but sometimes experienced a drop in intensity after the break.
“Fitness, game management and tactical discipline for the entire 90 minutes must be improved,” he said.
Eze urged the football authorities to give the coach sufficient time to implement his philosophy, understand his players and build a settled team.
He called for improvement in the preparation process, saying that some players were still involved in the Nigeria Women premier league (NWFL ) season while preparations for the World Cup were ongoing.
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“Once players are invited to camp, they need to resume on time and make maximum use of the camping period,” he said.
Hadiza Yahaya, head coach of Alpha Football Academy, said the dismissal of midfielder Kafayat Mafisere did not affect the fighting spirit of the players.
“ I want to say that the experience gained in Poland should form part of the foundation for the next development cycle,” she said.
Musa Salihu, head coach of City Star FC urged the NFF to begin preparations for the 2028 Falconets immediately, rather than waiting until the next qualifying campaign.
He called for reinforcements because most of the players will be over 20 by 2028 and stressed the importance of continuity after the players had been identified.
“We should not constantly bring in large numbers of players without a clear plan. Identify the core group, train them, assess them, identify their weaknesses and work on them,” he said.
Salihu urged the football authorities to organise regular high-quality friendly matches and international training tours to expose the players to different styles of football and stronger opposition.
“If we prepare properly and give the team the necessary support, we can target a place in the final and compete for the trophy in 2028,” he said.
The stakeholders also called for closer interaction between the national team and domestic clubs to enable the technical crew to monitor players consistently and assess their readiness.
