- A former England international has explained why the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Nigeria lost 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in the World Cup playoffs in Morocco, last November
- The three-time AFCON winners wrote a petition to FIFA, accusing the Leopard of fielding ineligible players
Former England international Eniola Aluko has shared her thoughts on why Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Super Eagles improved under coach Eric Chelle but eventually finished second behind South Africa in 2026 CAF Qualification Group C. Nigeria advanced to the African playoffs alongside Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon.
The three-time AFCON champions defeated the Panthers 4-1 in the semifinal before losing to the Leopards 4-3 on penalties in the final playoff, missing out on a second consecutive World Cup appearance, per CAF.
Source: Getty Images
Why Nigeria will not be at WC – Aluko
Former England international Eniola Aluko has attributed the distractions from the protest as the reason why Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The former Chelsea star said the Super Eagles should have won the match, considering the caliber of players in the squad
The former Birmingham City star explained that the timing of the allowances protest by the players was wrong and affected the psychology of the entire team, including the coaching crew. He said:
“Nigeria is not going to the 2026 FIFA World Cup because they lost to DR Congo.
“The Super Eagles were not good enough on the final. I agree that Nigeria should have won, but going on protest is not the reason the Super Eagles lost the game.
“But I think the timing was wrong. I agree if they agree to do that, they are not focusing one hundred percent on what they need to do.
“My point is to eliminate the chance for any player to do that, and when I say that I’m talking about the Federation and management.
“That’s an easy thing. Just pay people on time so they don’t have an excuse to say when they lose”
Why Nigeria protested during World Cup playoffs
Super Eagles players and staff have boycotted training in protest of unpaid allowances ahead of a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off against Gabon.
Source: Getty Images
Head coach Eric Chelle and his team are not spared from the incident, as the Franco-Malian is owed many months’ salary by the federation.
Negotiations between the Super Eagles, NFF, and the National Sports Commission reportedly led to a compromise that allowed training to resume.
While the full details of the agreement remain confidential, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau had earlier confirmed that all outstanding financial issues had been addressed, per ESPN.
NFF president confirmed owed bonuses
Legit.ng previously reported that NFF president Ibrahim Gusau confirmed that the Super Falcons players were owed “little outstanding” after winning WAFCON 2025.
The president, however, debunked the extent to which the owed allowances were portrayed in the media and promised a quick resolution.
Source: Legit.ng