Former Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has called on the federal government to dissolve the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) if the national team fails to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria’s chances of making the tournament remain slim after the Super Eagles were held to a draw by South Africa in a Group C qualifier. The result leaves the team third on the log, six points adrift of leaders Bafana Bafana, with only two matches left to play.
Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, the former Chelsea midfielder criticized the NFF’s handling of football matters, stressing that Nigeria’s struggles stem from poor leadership.
“If Nigeria doesn’t qualify for the World Cup, the entire NFF board has to go… it’s unacceptable,” Mikel said. “We didn’t qualify for Qatar — the last World Cup — and now it looks like again we are not going to make it. Honestly, I have nothing to say about it.”
Mikel’s remarks add to growing calls for reform in Nigerian football as pressure mounts on the federation over the Super Eagles’ shaky qualification campaign.