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As you read this, the 23rd edition of the world’s biggest football festival, the World Cup, is deep into its fourth day. A record 48 countries scattered in three nations – United States, Canada and Mexico – are competing in the 2026 World Cup (aka The Mundial). But Nigeria is not there. It was not there either at the last edition in 2022 hosted by Qatar. Out of 23 editions since 1930 when Uruguay hosted the maiden edition, Nigeria has only qualified for the World Cup six times and crashed out either at the early stages or twice in the last-16 round. This is a poor record when you consider that three African nations, Cameroon, Senegal had reached the quarter finals and Morocco the semi-finals. But Nigeria is the Giant of Africa, remember. Cameroon, led by ageless Roger Milla, reached the quarter finals in 1990 (in Italy) after losing to England 3-2 in extra time. Senegal repeated this same feat in 2002, succumbing to Turkey 1-0 in golden goal rule. And lo, it was Senegal’s debut. Morocco raised the bar 20 years later in 2022 (in Qatar), hitting the semi-finals before exiting having lost to France.
This year, a record 10 African countries are flying their flags at the Mundial including Congo DR and Cape Verde, not forgetting regulars like Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, South Africa (the only African country to have hosted the World Cup). And you just wonder. Why is Nigeria not at the World Cup, for two consecutive tournaments?
Truth is, Nigeria does not deserve to be there. In recent years, Nigeria football has dipped both in form and administration. On both occasions that Nigeria was not at the Mundial, 2022 and 2026, the nation simply scored own goals. No foreign nation was responsible for the monumental failure that has befallen Nigeria football, at both national and club levels. Neither FIFA nor CAF is responsible. Nigeria is responsible for its football misfortune. The choices we made in national team managers; the choice of players to stand up for the nation at qualifying rounds, all coalesced to ruin the run.
In recent years, Nigeria football has stopped running. No momentum, no flair. Except, of course, for female football – a regular table topper at continental level, but languid at global meets. The Super Falcons, the female national football team, have won the Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON), a record 10 times out of 13 editions. The real definition of dominance. Not so for the men, which is the true measure for assessing global strength in football (no disrespect for female football).
Nigerian clubs are not at continental football. They compete and crash out like butterflies flirting around flowers. They crashed out of the CAF Champions League; skirt around the CAF Confederation Cup without cutting deep, and never showed up at the CAF Super Cup. Giant of Africa, indeed! Enyimba is the only Nigerian club side to have won the CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004, a back-to-back triumph by any Nigerian side. A good 22 years ago. A 22-year-long trophy drought for a ‘giant’ is a misnomer, especially on a continent where football is yet to attain the sublime. African football is still crude, sometimes primitive. As primitive as Senegal abandoning a Cup final only to return to the field to complete the match after much begging and pleading by fans and officials. Even more primitive as the referee not applying the rules of the game immediately, only for CAF to sit in a coven months later to award victory to Morocco. And the world was not amused. The world was in shock, the type of shock arising from the shameless conduct of an actor. In this case, CAF, Senegal, Morocco and referee Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo from DR Congo were the actors on the stage of ignominy. A referee that looked more confused than confusion.
Football is an effective psychoactive pastime for Nigerians. It provides momentary escape from existential pain inflicted on them by bad governments. It’s a unifier, a fulcrum around which an illusionary national unity is fleetingly achieved. Nigerians need football now more than ever. They need its noise and spirit. At pubs and pitches, the spirit of football is writ large. Inside elite lounges or roadside shebeens, football is a Nigerian delicacy served with pepper soup, peppered meat, barbequed fish marinated with carefully picked spices and sundry condiments. Indeed, in Nigeria, football is food. It fills up the people. It prompts men to spend more and share among the fraternity. Especially when the Super Eagles are on duty. In the days of Jay Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo, Nigerians would stay up late to watch the magic and majesty of football which both players served the world. Was Jay Jay not rated the best dribbler in our first ever World Cup appearance in 1994 in the United States? Did the immortal Pele of Brazil not single him out as an outstanding talent? And did we not keep vigil to watch the Super Eagles play by 2am and 3am Nigerian time? Such was the aura of football when the Super Eagles were truly super.
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These days and these times, the Eagles are no longer Super. Just a bunch of fat ego players who feel bigger than the team itself. But the joke is not on the players. The real joke is on the corrupt officials running Nigeria football. The NFF is a house of cards; a nest of corruption. This explains why mega corporations have shied away from sponsoring football at national and club levels. Those who dared strategically withdrew their sponsorship because of malignant opacity in fiscal management.
Everywhere you turn, echoes of corruption assail the ears. Alleged misappropriation of over $25 million development and sponsorship funds from FIFA and CAF between 2015 and 2025; bribes for selection in different categories of national teams, which has bred a culture of favoritism and entrenchment of mediocrity in player selections; complaints of unpaid bonuses to players, exclusion of players who summoned the courage to rebuke the systemic graft and greed in the football Federation; zero or substandard infrastructure even when funds had been released by FIFA and CAF for such projects. It’s a long list of allegations of corruption.
There was that little matter of a $1.2 million grant allegedly used for a mini-stadium in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. The project was roundly condemned as substandard and unbefitting the amount spent. Too many tales of woes from the house of football. The end-product is what is manifesting before our very eyes.
In a country with a population of approximately 237.5 million, with over 60% (140 million) under the age of 30, according to UNFPA data, it’s difficult to raise a national football team that could challenge for honours globally. Every year, we look to Europe-based players, some of them match-rusty, to play for the Super Eagles. The other African teams at the World Cup have substantial members of their national teams playing local football in Africa.
The giant of Africa is not interested in developing local football. We are too busy chasing the dollar. Shame wears the Nigerian colour, this time, in football. I’m deeply gutted!
