By Ben Efe 7.5.2026
Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for a second time in a row, continues to haunt Nigeria Football Federation officials.
Nigeria was expected to easily qualify for the 2026 expanded World Cup, but at the initial stage of the qualifiers the Super Eagles, in the words of former NFF secretary-general Fanny Amun, fumbled and wobbled.
And when they were thrown a lifeline at the CAF playoffs in Rabat Morocco, they also fluffed the chance by failing to beat Congo DR in a penalty shootout in a game they had perfect control in the first half. Coach Eric Chelle would later claim that his players were charmed by Congolese voodoo during the lucky dip.
NFF secretary-general Mohammed Sanusi who made the country believe that a frivolous petition about some ineligible Congo DR players could get Nigeria into the World Cup is now claiming that had the voodoo believing Chelle taken over from Jose Peseiro as Super Eagles coach, Nigerians would be watching their team at the World Cup come June.
“If the type of results we had from the team under Eric Chelle, towards the end of the World Cup qualifiers 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 told veteran journalist Osasu Obayuwana.
Peseiro and Finidi George were in charge of four games. Chelle needed to beat Zimbabwe in Uyo, but the team succumbed to a shocking 1-1 draw after the Super Eagles laboured all day. However, Chelle beat Rwanda home and away and also Benin Republic, but it was a little too late. South Africa Bafana Bafana topped the group.