Former NFF Boss Accuses Nigerians of Sabotaging Super Eagles’ World Cup Bid

Former NFF Boss Accuses Nigerians of Sabotaging Super Eagles’ World Cup Bid

By BSN Sports 

Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has claimed that some Nigerians actively hoped for the Super Eagles to miss out on qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The remarks, attributed to Pinnick by Footy Naija and circulated on social media by user Ptw Doherty under the hashtag #SaveNigerianFootball, suggest that internal divisions and personal interests contributed to Nigeria’s failure.

According to Pinnick, certain individuals allegedly wished for the team’s downfall in order to discredit current NFF President Ibrahim Gusau.

“I can tell you today, some people were praying for Nigeria not to qualify because they want Ibrahim Gusau out of the NFF. That is the truth. That is how bad it is,” Pinnick reportedly said.

He added that Nigerian football stakeholders and the wider public must re-evaluate their attitudes and commitment to the national team.

“We must have orientation and reorientation among Nigerians and critical stakeholders. It is very important. People are quick to call others corrupt. It is not like that. Before football, we exist, and after football, we will exist,” he said.

Pinnick’s comments come amid widespread criticism following the Super Eagles' inability to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup a failure many fans and analysts have attributed to administrative challenges and inconsistent team performance.