2026 World Cup: NFF chief reveals one Eric Chelle regret after Super Eagles heartbreak

Nigeria Football Federation secretary general Mohammed Sanusi is still disappointed by the Super Eagles’ failure to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Afrik-Foot reports.

Sanusi is convinced that the Super Eagles would have secured qualification for the Mundial if current coach Eric Chelle had been appointed earlier in the campaign.

Chelle officially became Nigeria coach on January 7, 2025, arriving at a difficult moment for the national side. By then, the Super Eagles were already under huge pressure after inconsistent results in the qualification series.

Portuguese tactician Jose Peseiro and Super Eagles legend Finidi George handled the team in the first four games of the qualifying series. By the time Chelle too charge, the former African champions has managed only three points from a possible 12.

Chelle rallied the squad and carved out four wins and two draws from the remaining six matches to squeeze Nigeria into the World Cup playoffs. However, the Super Eagles missed out on a place at the tournament after suffering a painful playoff defeat to DR Congo, ending Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the global showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Speaking with football journalist Osasu Obayiuwana, Sanusi pointed directly to the instability in Nigeria’s coaching setup as one of the biggest reasons behind the disappointing qualifying campaign.

Sanusi believes the team’s form under the Franco-Malian coach showed that Nigeria had enough quality to qualify comfortably.

“If the type of results we had from the team under Eric Chelle, towards the end of the WCQ campaign, were the results we had throughout the 10 games, had he taken charge from the beginning, I think Nigeria would have qualified with games to spare,” Sanusi said.

World Cup miss, a costly failure for Nigeria

Missing the 2026 World Cup represents one of the biggest sporting and financial setbacks Nigerian football has faced in recent years.

The Super Eagles will miss the FIFA World Cup for a second consecutive tournament after also failing to qualify for Qatar 2022. It is the first time since the country made its World Cup debut in 1994 that the Super Eagles will miss back-to-back editions.

The financial consequences are also severe. The Nigeria Football Federation is expected to lose at least $9 million in guaranteed FIFA participation money. Another $1.5 million in tournament preparation funds will also not arrive.

Reports estimate that the total financial impact could rise to about 15 billion naira, a major blow to the federation’s annual budget and football development programmes across the country.

The absence from the tournament could also affect Nigerian players on the transfer market. The World Cup traditionally offers players a huge global platform, and stars such as Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will now miss the opportunity to showcase themselves on football’s biggest stage.

Sponsorship income is also expected to drop, with several brands reportedly reducing their financial involvement with the national team following the failed qualification campaign.

There are sporting consequences too. Without World Cup football, Nigeria may struggle to attract dual-nationality talents who often consider major tournaments before committing their international future.

The Super Eagles are also expected to slide down the FIFA rankings, which could make future Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifying draws even more difficult.

Still, there have been signs of progress under Chelle. The coach guided Nigeria to a bronze medal finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and has restored some belief around the national team after a turbulent period. The Super Eagles are now expected to focus on international friendlies against Poland and Portugal before preparations begin for the next AFCON campaign.