Former Super Falcons head coach Thomas Dennerby is reportedly in contention to return to the Nigeria women’s national team as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) moves to appoint a new technical crew ahead of the 2028 Olympic qualifiers.
The 65-year-old Swedish tactician is said to be the leading candidate, while former Falcons coach Florence Omagbemi and other Nigerian coaches are also being considered.
The NFF’s interim leadership, headed by Emmanuel Ikpeme, is reportedly keen to conclude the appointment before Nigeria’s opening Olympic qualifying fixture against Comoros in October.
The development follows the NFF’s decision in August to ask Justine Madugu and his technical crew to step aside after the Falcons failed to defend their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco and missed qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Madugu, however, leaves behind a significant achievement, having guided Nigeria to a record-extending 10th WAFCON title in 2025.
National Sports Commission Director-General Bukola Olopade had earlier confirmed that a new technical team would be appointed ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.
“The Olympics are around the corner; we will see how we can tweak the technical team of the Falcons as we did for the U-23, which coach Eric Chelle will handle. This is because we are desirous of qualifying for the Olympics,” Olopade said in August.
Dennerby previously managed the Super Falcons from January 2018 to September 2019. During his tenure, he led Nigeria to the 2018 WAFCON title in Ghana and guided the team to the knockout stages of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, securing their first last-16 appearance at the tournament in two decades.
He left the position following an administrative dispute with the NFF before taking charge of the Indian women’s national team, where he remained until his contract ended in 2023.
Omagbemi is also reportedly under consideration. She led Nigeria to the 2016 WAFCON title, further strengthening her credentials for a possible return to the national team setup.
Nigeria returned to the women’s football event at the Paris 2024 Olympics after a 16-year absence but were eliminated at the group stage. The Falcons will now begin their bid to return to the Olympics when they face Comoros in October.
Comoros booked their place in the second qualifying round after an emphatic 30-0 aggregate victory over Sudan, winning the first leg 17-0 on June 3 before completing the rout with a 13-0 victory five days later.
With the Olympic qualifiers approaching, the NFF faces pressure to appoint a technical team capable of restoring stability and guiding the Super Falcons back to the global stage.
If you want, I can also turn this into a short Naija News-style version with a punchier headline and SEO-friendly lead.
Here’s a polished, publication-ready rewrite of the report:
Former Super Falcons head coach Thomas Dennerby is reportedly in contention to return to the Nigeria women’s national team as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) moves to appoint a new technical crew ahead of the 2028 Olympic qualifiers.
The 65-year-old Swedish tactician is said to be the leading candidate, while former Falcons coach Florence Omagbemi and other Nigerian coaches are also being considered.
The NFF’s interim leadership, headed by Emmanuel Ikpeme, is reportedly keen to conclude the appointment before Nigeria’s opening Olympic qualifying fixture against Comoros in October.
The development follows the NFF’s decision in August to ask Justine Madugu and his technical crew to step aside after the Falcons failed to defend their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco and missed qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Madugu, however, leaves behind a significant achievement, having guided Nigeria to a record-extending 10th WAFCON title in 2025.
National Sports Commission Director-General Bukola Olopade had earlier confirmed that a new technical team would be appointed ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.
“The Olympics are around the corner; we will see how we can tweak the technical team of the Falcons as we did for the U-23, which coach Eric Chelle will handle. This is because we are desirous of qualifying for the Olympics,” Olopade said in August.
Dennerby previously managed the Super Falcons from January 2018 to September 2019. During his tenure, he led Nigeria to the 2018 WAFCON title in Ghana and guided the team to the knockout stages of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, securing their first last-16 appearance at the tournament in two decades.
He left the position following an administrative dispute with the NFF before taking charge of the Indian women’s national team, where he remained until his contract ended in 2023.
Omagbemi is also reportedly under consideration. She led Nigeria to the 2016 WAFCON title, further strengthening her credentials for a possible return to the national team setup.
Nigeria returned to the women’s football event at the Paris 2024 Olympics after a 16-year absence but were eliminated at the group stage. The Falcons will now begin their bid to return to the Olympics when they face Comoros in October.
Comoros booked their place in the second qualifying round after an emphatic 30-0 aggregate victory over Sudan, winning the first leg 17-0 on June 3 before completing the rout with a 13-0 victory five days later.
With the Olympic qualifiers approaching, the NFF faces pressure to appoint a technical team capable of restoring stability and guiding the Super Falcons back to the global stage.
