Sports
Dissolve NFF If Nigeria Misses 2026 World Cup — Mikel Obi
Former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has called for the dissolution of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) if the national team fails to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria’s qualification hopes suffered another setback after the Super Eagles were held to a disappointing draw by South Africa in their Group C clash. The result leaves Nigeria sitting third in the group, six points behind the Bafana Bafana, with only two matches left to play.
Mikel Points Finger at NFF
Speaking on his Obi One Podcast, Mikel expressed frustration at the federation’s role in the team’s struggles.
“If Nigeria doesn’t qualify for the World Cup, the entire NFF board has to go. It’s unacceptable,” the former Chelsea midfielder said.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner stressed that Nigeria’s repeated failures on the global stage cannot continue unchecked, especially after the Super Eagles missed out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“We didn’t qualify for Qatar, the last World Cup, and now it looks like again we are not going to make it. Honestly, I have nothing to say about it,” he added.
Players Not Solely to Blame
While acknowledging that the players bear some responsibility, Mikel maintained that the deeper problem lies in football administration.
“Do you blame the players? No, I don’t blame the players. Yes, the players have to take responsibility for the situation but are you gonna blame the players alone? No,” he explained.
The ex-Super Eagles skipper lamented the poor management of football in Nigeria, saying it continues to damage the country’s reputation internationally.
“Again, we talk about it so many times and that’s why you have people disrespecting the African continent and football,” Mikel said.
Nigeria’s Uphill Battle
With two matches left in the qualifiers, the Super Eagles face a daunting task to keep their 2026 World Cup hopes alive. Analysts say failure to qualify for back-to-back tournaments would be a massive blow to Nigeria’s football image and could deepen calls for sweeping reforms in the country’s football governance.
Mikel insists accountability must start with those at the helm.
“The people that run football in Nigeria should be held accountable,” he concluded.
