Following Nigeria’s ouster from the 2026 World Cup playoffs, soccer enthusiasts in Imo have urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to consider withdrawing from international competitions and rejigging the Super Eagles team.
The enthusiasts gave the advice while speaking in separate interviews with our correspondent in Owerri, on Monday.
Our correspondent reports that Nigeria’s Super Eagles lost 3-4 on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sunday , ending Nigeria’s hopes of playing in the 2026 World Cup.
The Chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria in Imo, Mr Cosmos Chukwuemeka said that rejigging the team and the entire football management in Nigeria was an exercise “long overdue “.
Chukwuemeka said there is an urgent need to review Nigeria’s mode of inviting players to the national team, adding that Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for the second consecutive time sums up the “administrative rot” in her football.
“ The quality of players we possess should have been enough to secure automatic qualification from Group C, a group that had Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Lesotho, Benin Republic, and eventual table-toppers South Africa.
“ Instead, we still found ourselves heading for the playoffs, only to crumble against DR Congo, losing 4–3 on penalties.
“ The dreams and hopes of millions of fans have been shattered and our journalists have lost the opportunity to tell the Nigerian story on the biggest football stage, yet again “, he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Professional Football Union in Imo, Mr Kennedy Onwunali, said that exiting international football competitions for some time would afford the NFF some necessary introspection.
Onwunali, who is also the Southeast Zonal Secretary of SWAN, expressed confidence that, given the internationally recognized stars in the Super Eagles squad, a healthier management team would take the Nigeria team to its desired glory heights.
“ I believe we should consider withdrawing from international football once again and carry out a complete reform of our football system “, he said.
A Tech Guru and soccer enthusiast, Mr Sylvester Edet, said withdrawing from international competitions would “aid a clean-up of our glass house”, since we already have a good squad.
Edet, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Gaan Digitals, urged football lovers across the country not to despair but to keep faith with the system as the expected reforms take place.