AFCON 2025
Former Super Eagles captain and midfielder, Mikel Obi, has called out the Nigeria Football Federation after Nigeria missed out on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Mikel Obi says the football body have the wrong set of people running football in the country as they lack the requisite knowledge to run the sport.
An emotional and impassioned Mikel Obi added that the “corruption playbook” which guides how the sport is being run in the country must be ripped apart.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner shared his thoughts on his latest podcast after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup for the second consecutive edition.
“Football is one thing that holds people together, that brings people together, whether you are Yoruba, Hausa, or Igbo. It is what brings everyone together, irrespective of the situation of the country.”
However, according to Mikel, the current NFF have deprived Nigerians of supporting the Super Eagles over the last eight years – missing two World Cup editions.
He went on to accuse the NFF of corruption and mismanagement, and believes that the federation doesn’t know how to run football. Hence, they shouldn’t be given another opportunity because they will fail again.
“You have to say stop!” You want to rip up the whole corruption playbook, that’s what you have to do, enough is enough, take a break and do the right thing.”
Nigeria lost to DR Congo on penalties in the final of the CAF World Cup playoffs on Sunday.
Mikel Obi represented Nigeria at its last appearance at the World Cup – the 2018 edition in Russia.
