The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has hit out at the Super Eagles for Nigeria not qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He said many Nigerians are very disappointed that the country will not be at football's biggest event.
Mr Wike spoke on Wednesday during the opening of the Kuje-Gwagwalada Dual Carriageway Phase I in Abuja. Former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo was there among other guests.
He used this event to send a message to the national team. The minister said Nigerians deserve better results.
"Yes, we have congratulated one of our stars, Joseph Yobo. But let me use this medium through you to tell the Super Eagles we are not happy," Mr Wike said.
He continued, "So if nobody tells you that, because there are some people clapping for you, the moment they say Super Eagles, I say I won’t clap. I won’t clap because I watch the World Cup, I see countries I’ve never heard of before qualifying to play in the World Cup, and I’m sitting down hours watching countries that I’ve not known."
The former Rivers governor pointed out that it is hard to understand how Nigeria, with many players in Europe and other top leagues, did not make it to the 48-team tournament.
"Nigerians in that context, in this context, not less than 13 Nigerians are playing all over the world. But here, we do not qualify. Yobo, go and tell them we are not happy," he added.
Nigeria missed out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a poor qualifying campaign. This continues the country’s absence from the tournament since it last played in the 2022 Qatar edition.
The Super Eagles are the second-highest-ranked team in the FIFA rankings released in June. They missed the 2026 World Cup, only behind Denmark, making their absence one of the biggest shocks of the tournament.
Africa has a record 10 teams at the current World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Four of these countries are making their tournament debuts. Several African teams have played well, including Ghana, Morocco, DR Congo, and Cape Verde, who have shown strong performances against bigger football nations.
Nigeria’s absence stands out even more as smaller football nations have taken their chance in this expanded tournament. The 2026 World Cup features debutants and countries making their global appearances, while the three-time African champions are left watching from the sidelines.
Mr Wike’s comments show the growing frustration among many football fans who feel Nigeria, with its rich talent and resources, should have been one of Africa’s teams at the Mundial.
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