Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has admitted that Nigeria’s failure to convert key matches into victories cost the team qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to a Daily Post report published on Sunday, June 28, 2026, Nigeria finished one point behind South Africa in Group C, missed automatic qualification, and were eliminated by the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the African playoffs.
Speaking to Algerian influencer Riadh Belaïche, Chelle said he inherited a difficult situation after taking charge in January, when Nigeria had only three points from four qualifying matches.
“I was appointed in January last year. When I arrived, Nigeria had three points out of 12, so we fought hard to try to qualify. Having reached the playoffs, we lost against the Democratic Republic of Congo. We lost on penalties; they deserved the victory,” he said.
Chelle identified the 1-1 home draw against Zimbabwe in Uyo, where Nigeria conceded a late equaliser, and the draw against South Africa in Bloemfontein as decisive setbacks.
“It’s true that in some matches, like against Zimbabwe, we drew at home while the match was in our hands. In the end, these two dropped points hurt us a lot. We drew in South Africa,” he added.
Despite missing out on the World Cup, Chelle said the team showed significant improvement after his appointment and recently committed his future to the Super Eagles by signing a new contract with the Nigeria Football Federation.
