Oliseh: Nigeria’s failure to qualify for 2026 World Cup will be disastrous

By Tosin Omojola

Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Ugochukwu Oliseh has warned that Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup would be a disaster for the country.

Currently sitting 5th on the qualification table out of 6 teams, the Super Eagles will next face Rwanda’s Amavubi. Oliseh expressed his concerns during an interview with SuperSport TV, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

“It would be a disaster if Nigeria does not qualify,” Oliseh said. “Africa could have as many as 10 teams representing the continent at the next World Cup, and the risk of Nigeria not being one of them is alarming.”

Oliseh, who was part of the FIFA Study Group at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, also shared his frustration over Nigeria’s absence from the tournament. “I was in Qatar for six weeks with the FIFA Study Group, and it was painful that Nigeria was not there,” he recalled.