By: Timothy Dehinbo
It’s make-or-break time for the Super Eagles
Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign has been a mess, and now they’re at a point where anything less than six points from these 2026 World Cup qualifiers could be disastrous to the hopes of being in next year’s Mundial. They face Rwanda tomorrow evening in Kigali before hosting Zimbabwe in Uyo on Monday, four days later.
Three points from four games aren’t good enough. Three draws and a loss have left them with no breathing room. If they don’t turn things around now, the dream of playing at the 2026 World Cup could slip away.
Nigerian football fans are among the most passionate in the world— always hopeful, resilient, and unwavering in their belief, no matter how many setbacks come their way. But even the most optimistic supporters haven’t forgotten the pain of recent years.
This is the reality Eric Chelle steps into as Super Eagles head coach. The expectations are enormous, the pressure relentless, and he has to ease the pains.
Eric Chelle didn’t cause the mess Nigeria finds itself in
The Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification campaign has been rocky for a while, and it all started under José Peseiro.
In November 2023, Nigeria could only draw with Lesotho and Zimbabwe, results that left fans frustrated. Despite leading the team to a silver medal at AFCON 2023, Peseiro wasn’t kept on.
Finidi George, who was coaching Enyimba at the time, stepped in, facing South Africa and the Benin Republic in June 2024.
The match against South Africa ended in a draw, but the game against Benin Republic saw Nigeria slip to a defeat—putting their World Cup hopes on the line.
The draws and losses have made it clear to everyone involved with the Super Eagles—there’s a real mess to clean up. That’s why Eric Chelle was brought in back in January.
It’s a tough spot for him. He didn’t create the problem, but if he doesn’t fix it, he’ll be the one held responsible.
So, the big question is, can he fix the mess? Only he, with the backing of his players, can provide the answers.
2026 World Cup Qualifiers: But now, it’s up to him to fix it.
But they need to remember that missing out on the 2022 World Cup still stings, not just because Nigeria failed to qualify but because of who they lost to.
Ghana. A bitter rival. A defeat that felt like more than just a missed tournament—it was a dent in national pride. And just when it seemed the Super Eagles had a chance to heal those wounds, they suffered another heartbreak.
AFCON 2023 could have been the moment Nigeria had smiles return. Instead, it ended in frustration, a painful collapse against Ivory Coast in a final they had within their grasp.
For a football-obsessed nation, these aren’t just defeats. They’re scars. And as another crucial set of World Cup qualifiers approaches, the fans and supporters will hope for Joy this time around.
These setbacks aren’t just about the results; they’re about what could have been.
The missed opportunities, the dreams that never materialised.
The sense of unfulfilled potential lingers, and for Nigerian fans, the pain runs deeper than the score lines suggest.
I’ll leave it at this—Eric Chelle has it all to do now.
