‘Drop Ekong, Nwabali, Osimhen or forget 2026 World Cup’ — Primate Ayodele
By Tosin Omojola –
Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup remain realistic, but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) must take drastic steps, according to renowned cleric Primate Elijah Ayodele.
The Super Eagles are in a precarious position in the qualifiers, with only four matches left to conclude the series.
Primate Ayodele, head of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, believes the ticket can still be secured if the NFF follows his recommendations.
In a two-minute video message, the cleric stated: “There is nothing stopping Nigeria from going to the World Cup, except they don’t listen. There are three things they need to do: First, captain William Troost-Ekong should not lead the team in the remaining qualifiers.
“Second, an alternative goalkeeper to Stanley Nwabali must be put in place. Third, they must find another quality striker like Victor Osimhen and bring in five new Nigerian players into the squad.”
He urged that his message be conveyed directly to NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, insisting that if these measures are adopted, Nigeria can qualify for the World Cup and also win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The Super Eagles currently face an uphill task in CAF Group C, sitting fourth with 7 points after six matches. Leaders South Africa have 13 points, followed by Rwanda and Benin Republic with 8 points each. Lesotho trail with 6 points, while Zimbabwe sit bottom with 4 points.
Nigeria will host the Wasps of Rwanda on September 6, 2025, before traveling three days later to face group leaders Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein. With only four matches left, the Eagles must secure wins and hope for favourable results from other fixtures to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
