Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has called on the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation to resign following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He described the situation as unacceptable and insisted that those in charge of Nigerian football must take responsibility for the repeated setbacks.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the tournament ended after the Super Eagles lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties during the playoff stage of the African qualifiers. The defeat means Nigeria will miss the World Cup for the second consecutive edition after also failing to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Reacting to the outcome, Mikel said the failure was a major disappointment for a country with Nigeria’s football pedigree and population. He described it as a disaster that a nation widely regarded as a football powerhouse in Africa would miss the global tournament twice in a row.
The former Chelsea midfielder said accountability must begin at the top, insisting that the officials running the federation should step down to allow new leadership rebuild Nigerian football. He argued that the repeated failures show that serious structural problems exist within the administration of the sport.
Mikel also warned that Nigeria risks falling behind other African football nations if urgent reforms are not implemented. He pointed to countries that have invested in long-term planning and development, saying Nigeria must adopt similar strategies to restore its competitiveness on the international stage.
The Super Eagles’ failure has sparked widespread criticism from fans, analysts and former players, many of whom believe the country’s football authorities must take responsibility for the disappointing campaign and introduce significant changes to revive the national team.
