Nigeria’s sports ministry is not happy about the country’s poor performance in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers. After losing 2-1 to Benin, the Super Eagles have not won any of their first four games. This disappointing result has left Nigeria in fifth place in Group C with only three points.
Senator John Owan Enoh, the minister of sports development, has demanded an explanation from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for the team’s underperformance. The fans are also eager to know why the national team has been struggling since the last Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite reaching the final of this year’s Nations Cup, Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The recent results have been deemed unacceptable, and the NFF must provide a detailed technical report on the reasons behind the poor showing.
The team’s struggles continued in the game against Benin, where the wrong national anthem was played at the start. Although Raphael Onyedika scored first for Nigeria, goals from Jodel Dossou and Steve Mounie secured the win for Benin.
One possible factor contributing to Nigeria’s poor performance is the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen due to injury. The team has promised to fight hard in the remaining qualifiers, but questions remain about the coaching decisions made by Finidi George.
Fans are concerned about the team’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, with some calling for George’s resignation. The pressure is mounting on the coach to turn the team’s fortunes around before it’s too late.
The sports ministry is closely monitoring the situation, as missing out on the World Cup would be a huge blow to Nigeria’s footballing tradition and reputation. The fans are hopeful that the team can regroup and secure a spot in the finals, but time is running out for the Super Eagles to make a comeback.