Mikel Obi calls for NFF departures after Nigeria miss 2026 World Cup

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has called for senior changes at the Nigeria Football Federation after the country failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nigeria has now missed two successive editions, having also failed to reach Qatar 2022, and Mikel says those responsible should no longer remain in charge.

The former Chelsea midfielder believes accountability must reach beyond the players and coaching staff. In his view, the administration and football structures overseeing the national team also bear responsibility for the repeated qualification failures. He has argued that another absence from the World Cup cannot be treated as normal business.

Mikel has previously said he rejected approaches to work with the NFF because he did not think he could be effective within its existing system. He has also criticised officials who have held influential positions for long periods without delivering the improvements he believes Nigerian football needs.

He has urged the Nigerian government to examine the circumstances behind the latest qualification failure, particularly because the Super Eagles have substantial talent among players based abroad. Mikel’s wider argument is that Nigeria has not built the administration, long-term planning and national-team structures needed to turn that talent into consistent results.

Pressure on the federation has increased ahead of its next elections, with former internationals and other football stakeholders calling for changes to its leadership and electoral arrangements. Some critics have also been challenged to offer practical plans for rebuilding the system rather than limiting their involvement to condemnation.

The concern now extends across Nigeria’s senior national teams. The Super Falcons have also failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, leaving both the men’s and women’s sides absent from their respective tournaments. Mikel wants urgent action before the next World Cup qualification cycle, while broader assessments of the game have pointed to governance reform, coaching stability, a clear football identity and stronger grassroots development.