Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Amaju Pinnick has asserted that the Super Eagles would have already secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup if he were still at the helm of the organization.
Pinnick expressed his surprise at Nigeria’s current struggles in the qualification campaign, especially with Africa’s increased allocation of ten spots for the upcoming tournament.
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“I honestly didn’t see this coming,” Pinnick stated. “With ten African teams qualifying, there is really no basis for Nigeria not to be among them.”
He drew parallels with past campaigns, highlighting the successful qualification for the 2018 World Cup from what was considered a “group of death.”
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“In 2018, we had arguably the toughest group ever,” he explained. “Algeria were unbeaten in over 20 matches, Cameroon were the defending African champions, Zambia were also champions, and Nigeria was considered the underdog. Yet, we qualified with two games to spare. We worked relentlessly.”
Pinnick also touched on the near-miss for the 2022 World Cup, where the Super Eagles were eliminated by Ghana in a playoff based on the away-goals rule.
“We did the same work in 2022, but the format changed to head-to-head,” he said. “Nobody gave Ghana a chance, but they came through. We didn’t lose that tie; we were eliminated on away goals.”
While accepting accountability for past failures, Pinnick insisted that the current situation is different and that strong leadership would have guaranteed qualification for 2026.
“I took responsibility then, and I take responsibility now,” he remarked, adding that the failure to qualify for the 2022 tournament “still haunts me.”
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However, he remained firm in his belief about the current campaign. “For the 2026 World Cup, if I were there, Nigeria would definitely have qualified,” Pinnick concluded. “There is simply no justification for Nigeria missing out.”
NSC Establishes Committees to Ensure Integrity in Sports Federation Elections
The Nigeria Sports Commission (NSC) has inaugurated an Election Petitions Committee and an Election Appeals Committee in a strategic move to promote fairness and transparency in the country’s sports federation elections.
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This initiative aligns with the NSC’s renewed commitment to upholding international standards of sports governance.
The commission has appointed a panel of distinguished legal experts, seasoned administrators, and media professionals known for their integrity to serve on these committees.
