By Tolúlopé Olátúnjí
In light of the Super Eagles’ disappointing performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifying series, the Guild of Sports Editors in Nigeria has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board to resign if the team fails to secure a spot in the tournament.
A statement issued by the President of the Guild, Mr. Tony Ubani, expressed dismay at the Super Eagles’ poor showing in the qualifiers. Currently, Nigeria sits in fifth place in Group C, trailing behind Lesotho, Rwanda, Benin Republic, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
The statement reads in part: “We are shocked by the manner Nigeria’s bid to return to the World Cup after missing the 2022 edition is being mismanaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) through wrong and belated decisions and the inability to set the rules for the national team.”
“The NFF waited until just a month before the resumption of the qualifiers to name a coach through a process that many stakeholders criticized as flawed because it did not follow due process,” the statement added.
Despite the bleak outlook, the group of editors believe that Nigeria could still qualify if the NFF takes decisive action. They criticized the football body’s mismanagement, citing the delayed appointment of a coach and lack of leadership as key issues.
Additionally, the Guild highlighted the federation’s failure to address players’ rejections of national team invitations and technical crew positions.
The Guild emphasized that Nigerians cannot tolerate another World Cup qualification failure, especially with Africa now having nine slots. They called for an overhaul of the NFF’s technical department, advocating for the inclusion of individuals with substantial football knowledge.
Ubani said: “The technical department should be the engine room of the federation, not a place for politically correct individuals who know little or nothing about the game.”
“Now is not the time to apportion blame, but the NFF must know that Nigerians cannot tolerate failure to qualify for the World Cup, especially now that Africa’s slot has been increased to nine countries,” the President stated.
The statement concluded with a call for a more disciplined approach to national team duties, including timely player arrivals at training camps. They also urged the NFF to restore leadership by bringing back William Troost-Ekong, who was excluded from the last two games.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles’ potential the World Cup miss would mark the Super Eagles’ first back-to-back absence since 1994. If the NFF board resigns, it will be only the second mass resignation in the history of Nigeria’s football governing body, the first occurring on November 27, 1964.
