Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has called for sweeping changes at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the setback as a “hammer blow” for the country.
Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, the former Chelsea midfielder said the federation’s leadership should step down after Nigeria missed out on a second successive World Cup. “I feel for the people of my country. I feel for my people in Nigeria because they are going to be devastated right now,” Mikel said.
“I just feel the entire board of the NFF needs to go. Twice in a row we failed to qualify. It means something is wrong. A drastic change has to be carried out.” Mikel argued that Nigeria’s status as one of Africa’s football powerhouses makes consecutive qualification failures unacceptable.
“We are the biggest footballing nation in Africa and failing to qualify is an indication that something is wrong and that requires drastic action,” he added. The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner represented Nigeria at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups and has repeatedly called for reforms within the country’s football administration.
Nigeria’s absence from the ongoing World Cup marks the second consecutive edition the Super Eagles have failed to qualify for, having also missed the 2022 tournament. Prior to that, the team had only failed to qualify once since making its World Cup debut in 1994, missing the 2006 tournament in Germany.
Beyond the sporting disappointment, Nigeria’s failure to qualify also carries significant financial implications. According to reports, the country missed out on at least $12.5 million in FIFA participation prize money, with the opportunity to earn additional revenue through progression to the later stages of the tournament also lost.
The Super Eagles’ failure has intensified calls from former players, fans and football stakeholders for structural reforms aimed at restoring Nigeria’s competitiveness on the international stage.
