Former Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum has reignited debate over the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) handling of World Cup preparation funds, accusing the federation of failing to properly utilise the $960,000 FIFA allocated for the team’s 2023 Women’s World Cup campaign.
Speaking in a fresh interview, Waldrum lamented that despite FIFA providing nearly $1 million specifically for preparations — including the payment of 22 technical staff — the NFF only made 11 staff members available for the tournament. He said logistical and organisational failures severely hampered the Falcons’ build-up to the competition.
“FIFA gave NFF $960k for World Cup preparations, paid for 22 technical staffs. Yet, NFF gave me 11, couldn’t pay flight tickets, no friendlies. I don’t know why Nigerians don’t question these kind of things,” Waldrum said, expressing frustration at what he described as systemic mismanagement.
The American coach, who led Nigeria to an impressive round-of-16 finish in Australia — pushing eventual finalists England to a penalty shootout — has repeatedly spoken about the chaotic preparations the team endured. These included unpaid bonuses, cancelled friendlies, limited training camps, and travel difficulties that forced some players and staff to cover costs personally.
Waldrum revealed that even basic pre-tournament plans were ignored. While other World Cup teams played multiple warm-up matches, Nigeria had no competitive friendly, entering the tournament with minimal preparation. “We were competing against the best in the world while dealing with issues that should not exist at this level,” he said.
His comments come as scrutiny intensifies around the NFF’s finances following repeated disputes with both the Super Falcons and Super Eagles over unpaid allowances and alleged diversion of funds. Critics say the federation has long operated without financial transparency, enabling a pattern of mismanagement that affects team performance.
Football stakeholders have called for an investigation into how FIFA’s World Cup grant was spent, arguing that Nigeria’s strong World Cup showing happened in spite, not because, of the NFF.
Waldrum, now coaching at the University of Pittsburgh, maintains that Nigerian players “deserve better” and insists that unless the federation is held accountable, the country’s football will continue to struggle off the pitch.
