Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has issued a strong warning to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), calling for the resignation of the entire board should the national team fail to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mikel made the statement on his Obi One Podcast, expressing deep frustration over Nigeria’s current qualification struggles, particularly after the Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by South Africa in their Group C clash. This result leaves Nigeria third in the group with 11 points from eight matches, trailing South Africa by six points with only two games left.
Mikel described the situation as “devastating” for Nigerians and emphasized that a country considered Africa’s football powerhouse cannot afford to miss consecutive World Cups, following their absence from Qatar 2022. While acknowledging that players share some responsibility for the team’s struggles, he stressed that the root cause lies in poor leadership and a lack of support from the NFF.
“The players cannot be blamed alone. Leadership is the problem. The environment hasn’t been conducive for players to succeed,” Mikel said. He also called on the Nigerian government to step in and address the football crisis, labeling the current state of affairs as unacceptable. Despite the setback, he urged fans to continue supporting the team, noting that qualification remains mathematically possible, and expressed hope that decisive action could still turn things around for the Super Eagles.
