Omotayo Fashola
Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick has confidently claimed that, if he were still at the helm, the Super Eagles would have already secured their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking candidly on Sunday Oliseh’s Global Football Insights show, Pinnick expressed bewilderment at Nigeria’s struggle to qualify under an expanded format that grants Africa ten slots for the tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
“It’s truly shocking,” Pinnick admitted. “With nearly a third of Africa’s slots now available, Nigeria’s absence is inexcusable.”
He pointed to his past leadership during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, where Nigeria defied expectations by topping a so-called “Group of Death” featuring reigning continental champions.
“Back then, nobody gave us a chance—Cameroon were titleholders, Algeria were unbeaten, and Zambia had pedigree. Yet, we qualified with games to spare because we executed a meticulous plan.”
Similarly, Pinnick lamented Nigeria’s near-miss in 2022, where Ghana edged them out on away goals in a tense playoff.
“That elimination still stings. We matched Ghana in every way but fell victim to the rulebook. Under my leadership, such margins wouldn’t have decided our fate.”
