Sunday Oliseh Urges Drastic Action Against NFF if Super Eagles Miss Out on 2026 World Cup

Sunday Oliseh Urges Drastic Action Against NFF if Super Eagles Miss Out on 2026 World Cup

  • Super Eagles legend Sunday Oliseh has called for the overhauling of the NFF if Nigeria miss out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • Nigeria are on the brink of failing to qualify for the tournament with four matches left to go in the CAF qualifying series
  • The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2022 edition after losing to rivals Black Stars of Ghana during the play-off round

Super Eagles legend Sunday Oliseh has called for drastic measures against the board of the Nigerian Football Federation if Nigeria fail to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar after losing the playoff round to rivals Ghana following a 1-1 draw at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

Super Eagles, Nigeria, Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, Amavubi, World Cup qualifier.
Super Eagles stars before their 2-0 win over Rwanda. Photo from @NGSuperEagles.
Source: Getty Images

The Super Eagles are on the brink of watching another Mundial from home as they sit in a precarious position in the CAF qualifying series.

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Nigeria has seven points from six matches, behind Benin Republic and Rwanda, who have eight points each and South Africa, who have 13 points in group C.

According to thenff.com, the Super Eagles will host the Amavubi of Rwanda on matchday seven in Uyo, before facing Bafana Bafana of South Africa at Bloemfontein on matchday eight.

Eric Chelle's team must win both matches to keep their hopes of qualifying alive.

Nigeria still hope to win their remaining four matches, while hoping other results favour them, particularly South Africa’s impending three points deduction.

Oliseh calls for overhauling of NFF

Super Eagles legend Sunday Oliseh believes that the board of the Nigeria Football Federation must be overhauled if the team fail to qualify for the World Cup.

“If Nigeria does not qualify for the next World Cup, and the people running football in Nigeria are still in their positions, then we don’t even deserve to qualify for the next one,” Oliseh told TVC News.

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2026 WCQ: South Africa coach Hugo Broos makes bold confession about Super Eagles

“If, as an administration, you fail to qualify for two consecutive World Cups—which are worth hundreds of millions to a country’s football industry—there is nowhere in the world where such leadership would remain in place.”
Eric Chelle, Super Eagles, Nigeria, Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford, England.
Eric Chelle faces must-win matches against Rwanda and South Africa. Photo by Richard Pelham.
Source: Getty Images

The former Super Eagles captain added that failure to qualify for a World Cup sets the country's football back by eight years, and Nigeria being on the verge again could kill the country's football.

“Every four years that you don’t qualify for the World Cup, your football goes back eight years. That is how it works,” he added.

Though he expressed optimism that the Eagles can still qualify, something drastic must be done, not repeating the same process as before and expecting a different result.

Super Eagles stars arrive in Uyo

Legit.ng reported that Super Eagles stars have begun arriving at the team's camp in Uyo ahead of the match against Amavubi of Rwanda on September 6.

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South Africa coach speaks over possible 3-point deduction as World Cup qualifiers return

Captain William Troost-Ekong leads the players who have arrived in camp, which includes Bruno Onyemaechi and Singinda Black Stars goalkeeper Amas Obasogie.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Elijah Odetokun avatar

Elijah Odetokun (Sports Editor) Elijah Odetokun is a Nigerian sports editor at Legit.ng. He has four years of working experience and holds a Bachelor of Agriculture from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and a Diploma in Freelance and Sports Writing from the London School of Journalism. Email: elijah.odetokun@sportsbrief.com

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