Amid mounting criticism over the Super Eagles’ underwhelming performance in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has clarified that the decision on head coach Eric Chelle’s future lies solely with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Speaking during an interview on Monday, NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko said the commission would await recommendations from the NFF before taking any action on the coach’s status.
“Eric Chelle is the responsibility of the Nigeria Football Federation to decide,” Dikko said. “After they finish, they’ll do the analysis, and then they will recommend to us. We’ll look at it, approve, disapprove, or engage accordingly.”
Nigeria currently sits third in Group C of the African World Cup Qualifiers, with just 11 points from 8 games, trailing group leaders South Africa by six points and Benin Republic by three. With only two matches remaining, qualification hopes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup remain slim.
The Super Eagles’ latest result — a 1-1 draw against South Africa in Bloemfontein on September 9 — left fans frustrated, as the team once again failed to secure maximum points in a crucial fixture.
“When we came on board, Nigeria had just three points out of 12,” Dikko said. “Now, under Eric Chelle and with NFF’s support, we’ve reached 11 points. If we had started stronger, we might already be looking at qualification.
Dikko emphasized that while the NSC has fully supported the team — including logistics, bonuses, and travel arrangements — the actual outcome of the qualifiers depends on performance on the pitch.
“Based on the numbers, it’s out of our hands,” he noted. “We have to win the next two games and hope other results go our way. Anything can happen in football.”
He also disclosed that the NSC chartered a flight, paid for hotels, and ensured that players received their bonuses for the recent match in South Africa.
