By By Habeeb Ibrahim
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has apologized to Nigerians for the disappointing performance of the Super Eagles in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification series.
The team has lost four out of ten matches, leading to widespread criticism from fans and stakeholders.
In a statement released after an Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday, the NFF acknowledged the team’s poor performance and pledged to take necessary measures to improve the squad’s preparation and performance.
The committee resolved to employ an foreign Technical Adviser for the Super Eagles ahead of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers in September and the resumption of the World Cup qualifiers in March 2025.
The NFF also plans to strengthen its Technical Department with more qualified personnel and reconstitute the Technical and Development Sub-Committee.
The committee expressed disappointment with the attitude of some players during the recent FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and decided to implement a more robust scouting program to identify outstanding Nigeria-eligible players from around the world.
Furthermore, the NFF announced plans to convene a Stakeholders’ Forum in the coming weeks to discuss amendments to the current NFF Statutes in conjunction with FIFA.
The moves are aimed at restoring the Super Eagles to their former glory and ensuring that the team performs better in future competitions.
The statement reads: “The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation held a meeting on Wednesday, 12th June 2024 in hybrid mode to deliberate on important issues in Nigeria Football and resolved as follows:
1) The Executive Committee wholeheartedly apologized to Nigerians for the dismal output and subsequent very poor returns of the Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles, in four out of 10 matches in the ongoing qualification series for the
2026 FIFA World Cup finals, and pledged to work assiduously and put necessary measures in place to ensure a better-prepared squad ahead of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers in September this year and the resumption of the World Cup qualifiers in March 2025.
2) Further to (1) above, the Executive Committee resolved to employ an expatriate Technical Adviser for the Super Eagles in the coming weeks, ahead of the AFCON qualifiers and the remaining FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
3) Still further to (1) above, the Committee resolved to beef up the NFF Technical Department with more qualitative hands. Equally, the Technical and Development Sub-Committee will be re-jigged with immediate effect.
4) Notwithstanding the challenges that attended the team’s preparations for the Day 3 and Day 4 games of the FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, owing to a 38
-hour nationwide industrial action, the Board expressed displeasure with the poor attitude of some of the players to the National Assignment, and unanimously decided in favour of a more robust scouting programme of outstanding Nigeria-eligible players from across the four corners of the universe, who can add tremendous value to the nation’s flagship team.
5) The Executive Committee also resolved that a Stakeholders’ Forum be convened in a few weeks’ time, to deliberate on amendments to the current NFF Statutes, in conjunction with world football-governing body, FIFA.”
