World Cup miss: Entire NFF board must go — Mikel Obi

Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has described Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the ongoing FIFA World Cup as a “hammer blow,” calling for a complete overhaul of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board.

Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, Mikel said the country’s back-to-back failure to qualify for the tournament points to deep-rooted problems within Nigerian football.

“I feel for the people of my country. I feel for my people in Nigeria because they are going to be devastated right now,” Mikel said.

READ ALSO: Sadio Mane retires from Senegal duty after 2026 World Cup heartbreak

“I just feel the entire board of the NFF needs to go. Twice in a row we have failed to qualify. It means something is wrong. A drastic change has to be carried out.”

The former Chelsea midfielder insisted Nigeria’s status as one of Africa’s football powerhouses makes the repeated failure unacceptable.

“We are the biggest footballing nation in Africa, and failing to qualify is an indication that something is wrong. That requires drastic action,” he added.

Mikel, who represented Nigeria at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, has repeatedly called for reforms within the country’s football administration.

Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup marks the second consecutive edition the Super Eagles will miss, having also failed to reach the 2022 tournament. Before then, the three-time African champions had missed only one World Cup since making their debut in 1994 — the 2006 finals in Germany.

Beyond the disappointment for millions of football fans, Nigeria’s absence from the tournament also carries significant financial implications. According to reports, the country would have received a participation fee of about $12.5 million, with the potential to earn additional prize money by progressing further in the competition.