Nigeria fans are still reeling after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the second consecutive time the three-time African champions will miss football’s biggest stage.
Their elimination came after a tense penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in Sunday’s play-off final, capping a troubled qualifying campaign marred by inconsistency, controversy, and administrative turmoil.
A squad featuring world-class talents such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Alex Iwobi was expected to comfortably secure one of Africa’s nine automatic places at the expanded 48-team tournament. Instead, Nigeria endured a turbulent two-year journey that exposed deep structural issues within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The final blow came in Rabat, where Nigeria squandered an early lead from Frank Onyeka before DR Congo equalised through Meschack Elia. With Osimhen forced off at halftime due to injury, the Super Eagles struggled to create chances.
The shootout ended disastrously—Calvin Bassey fired over, while Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi saw their efforts saved. In a bizarre post-match twist, coach Eric Chelle accused a DR Congo staff member of using “voodoo” to disrupt Nigerian players, comments that shocked observers and hinted at the mounting pressure around the team.
But the cracks had appeared long before the decisive match. Just days before their semi-final against Gabon, the squad boycotted training over unpaid match bonuses and allowances. The episode sparked outrage among supporters, who blamed the NFF for chronic administrative failures.
Though the dispute was resolved and Nigeria eventually beat Gabon, the disruption underscored the long-standing dysfunction around player welfare and planning.
On the field, the Super Eagles never found cohesion. Managerial instability played a major role. After Jose Peseiro departed in early 2024, Finidi George’s brief tenure yielded damaging results—a draw against South Africa and a loss to Benin—that left Nigeria’s campaign hanging by a thread.
Chelle, appointed in January, steadied the ship but could not fully repair the damage. Nigeria scraped into the play-offs only after a stoppage-time goal against Benin on the final matchday.
Reactions to the elimination have been fierce. Fans on social media lamented the leadership failures within the NFF and pointed to the lack of investment in domestic football infrastructure.
Journalist David Hundeyin described Nigeria’s football structure as “a metaphor for the nation’s governance,” arguing that success has long masked deeper systemic problems.
With just over a month until their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations opener against Tanzania, Nigeria must regroup quickly. The NFF is expected to review Chelle’s future, though whether another coaching change will help remains uncertain.
What is clear is that Nigeria must rethink its football blueprint if it is to return stronger—and finally break the cycle of disappointment ahead of the 2030 World Cup qualifiers.
