NFF urges Eagles to target AFCON glory after missing World Cup ticket
The executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has charged the Super Eagles to put behind them their failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and concentrate on the forthcoming AFCON finals to be hosted by Morocco.
In a communiqué issued after its meeting in Abuja, the federation urged the players to forget their loss to Gabon in the FIFA World Cup playoffs and use Morocco as the arena to write a new story about themselves. It also directed the secretariat to ensure a hitch-free run-in to the championship for the three-time African champions.
The executive committee further mandated the Secretariat to secure quality friendly matches for the Super Falcons ahead of the February 2026 FIFA window, as the 10-time African champions aim for an 11th title and a 2027 Women’s World Cup ticket at the 14th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The communiqué noted that, following an evaluation of the poor run of the country’s youth teams, the technical and legal departments have been instructed to propose new guidelines for football academies and frameworks that will support true grassroots development in line with FIFA standards.
The committee also commended the process for appointing an independent auditor for the federation, following the completion of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ two terms, and in compliance with regulations limiting firms to a maximum of two terms.
It expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the NFF–FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches under the FIFA Forward 3.0 project, located opposite the NFF Secretariat at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, noting optimism that the contractor will meet the 24-month delivery deadline.
The committee additionally reviewed referees’ performance in all domestic leagues and expressed deep disappointment with the conduct of many officials, warning that sterner measures are imminent to curb poor officiating, incompetence, collusion with clubs and match manipulation.
