2026 FIFA World Cup: Gernot Rohr Explains Major Reason Super Eagles Failed to Qualify
- Former Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has explained why the team failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Nigeria missed out on the World Cup despite the expanded 48-nation tournament giving Africa 10 representatives
- The Super Eagles missed out on two consecutive tournaments, having also missed out on the 2022 edition in Qatar
The Super Eagles of Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and former head coach Gernot Rohr has highlighted the major reason.
Nigeria finished second in Group C of the CAF qualifying series, which had South Africa, Benin, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Lesotho, and qualified for the playoff.
Source: Getty Images
The Super Eagles beat Gabon 4-1 in the semi-final of the African playoff, but they fell to DR Congo, which clinched the World Cup ticket after beating Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff.
Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the tournament, having also missed out on the 2022 edition in Qatar, raised multiple questions in Nigeria and Africa.
Rohr explains Super Eagles’ failure
Former Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has pinpointed exactly what cost the Nigerian national team the 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket.
Rohr, who coached Benin in the same qualifying group as Nigeria, blamed Nigeria’s failure on a poor start in the qualifying, which included a loss to the Leopards.
“I also think about how Nigeria hasn’t participated since 2018. I believe this is because when we faced them in the group stage, even though they had great individual players with immense quality, they simply didn’t play like a team early on and dropped too many points,” Rohr told Footy-Africa.
The Franco-German manager was in the United States recently to watch some games, and he believes that Nigeria would have raised the excitement levels.
“It is truly a pity that major players like Osimhen, Chukwueze and Lookman are not here to be seen. For me, it’s a pity,” he added.
Rohr’s assessment fits into what most Nigerians believe cost the team. A poor start under former managers Jose Peseiro and Finidi George.
Source: Getty Images
Peseiro managed 1-1 draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe. Finidi drew South Africa and lost to Benin Republic, culminating in three points from the opening four games.
Eric Chelle came in shortly after and won 14 points from a possible 18, but the 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo proved detrimental.
The Super Eagles finished second and settled for the playoff, but lost to DR Congo on penalties in the playoff, thus ending their World Cup push.
The NFF, unrelenting in their ambitions to see the Super Eagles at the World Cup, petitioned the eligibility of DR Congo players, but lost the case, and went further to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, which has yet to be attended to.
Osimhen speaks on Nigeria’s failure
Legit.ng previously reported that Victor Osimhen spoke about Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during a live session.
The striker admitted that it hurts, not only for him, but also for his teammates, but they have to keep moving and fight to qualify for the next one.
Source: Legit.ng
