World Cup Draw, Nigeria Absent: Time For Hard Football Reckoning
By AUGUSTUS ISICHEI
AS the 2026 World Cup final draw unfolds in Washington, D.C., Nigeria will be conspicuously absent — watching the global show from home for the second straight tournament. The Super Eagles’ qualifying hopes ended in Rabat after a dramatic penalty shootout loss to DR Congo, a failure that has reopened debates about leadership, planning and accountability in Nigerian football.
The expanded 48-team World Cup has given more nations a shot at history: Haiti sealed a first appearance since 1974 and Curaçao booked its maiden berth, underlining how organisation and continuity can trump size and reputation. Analysts point to steady coaching, diaspora engagement and clear youth pathways as the reasons behind those successes — areas where Nigeria’s setup has repeatedly fallen short.
Voices from home have been blunt. Former captain John Mikel Obi accused the Nigeria Football Federation of years of mismanagement, calling for urgent overhaul. Veteran broadcaster Larry Izamoje added that the problem runs deeper than tactics — it is a system failure, from scouting and analytics to image-building and fan engagement.
The NFF has apologised and pledged another reform drive to address technical and administrative gaps, but scepticism runs high after similar promises in past setbacks. National Sports Commission director Bukola Olopade urged unity and calm, insisting the response should focus on rebuilding rather than finger-pointing.
With World Cup dreams extinguished, attention shifts to AFCON 2025 in Morocco and the longer task of rebuilding a team and a federation. The message is stark: modern football rewards structure and planning. Nigeria’s absence from Washington is a warning — revive the system or risk more tournaments watched from the sidelines.
