Nigeria would qualify for 2026 World Cup through dint of hardwork from our players — But President Tinubu must do the needful to fix our football

Nigeria would qualify for 2026 World Cup through dint of hardwork from our players

— But President Tinubu must do the needful to fix our football

By Harrison Jalla

Even though Nigeria should never have found itself in the position of qualifying through the play-offs — especially from one of Africa’s weakest groups featuring the likes of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda — the Super Eagles can still make it to the 2026 World Cup through sheer hard work and determination.

However, for lasting progress, President Bola Tinubu must act decisively and do the needful. He must sack the illegal NFF Board and begin a total reform of Nigerian football. This process should open the doors to the legion of ex-internationals, both at home and abroad, who are waiting in the wings to serve and restore pride to Nigerian football.

There must also be an open invitation to the private sector, as football remains Nigeria’s best product and biggest tool for international relations. The President should set up a Presidential Committee or Task Force to lead the Super Eagles’ World Cup campaign upon qualification. The same task force should drive a swift and comprehensive reform of the entire football system — from the domestic leagues and grassroots development to all national teams, male and female.

As a deterrent against corruption, the NFF Boards from 2014 to date, under the leadership of their so-called “Senior Prefect and Chief Priest of Nigerian Football,” must be investigated and prosecuted. Those found culpable should be sent to jail.

It would be a great disservice to the nation if those who managed our football between 2014 and 2016 — during which they received a total of USD 16,417,761.00 from FIFA and CAF (as detailed in the attached table) — are allowed to go unpunished. Football federations around the world use such grants to provide infrastructure for youth development and to strengthen their domestic leagues. In contrast, the NFF squandered these funds.

To put it in perspective, USD 16.4 million received within two years is enough to build two mini-stadiums in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Furthermore, despite receiving these grants, the federal government still covers all NFF expenses — from running costs to participation in continental and global competitions.

Even with this level of support, the leadership of the NFF between 2014 and 2022 continued to exploit the system — staging Super Eagles matches across South-South states and extorting billions of naira from state governments under the guise of hosting rights.

As this series continues, we will expose the flow of sponsorship funds from the private sector, federal government appropriations and interventions, and additional grants from FIFA and CAF from 2014 to date.

The NFF, a federal government agency, has been overindulged to the point of corruption, enabling a small clique to seize control of Nigerian football to the detriment of our youths.

Let us not forget: Nigeria lost the 2022 World Cup ticket to Ghana right before the eyes of late President Muhammadu Buhari at the Abuja National Stadium — despite massive financial support from the federal government. The loss was a direct consequence of incompetence, poor planning, greed, and endemic corruption.

This series continues.