The National Sports Commission (NSC), has invited the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), to an all important meeting to brainstorm on the forthcoming 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in September as well as the World Youth Championship in Chile.
The meeting scheduled for Thursday the 14th of August will also look into the just concluded Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON), in Morocco alongside the WAFU B U-17 Championship to be hosted by Nigeria next month.
Information at our disposal reveals that there is palpable fear in the NFF that has almost ruined Nigeria’s chances of reaching the final of the 2026 World Cup over the invitation.
The football house that is notorious for mismanaging major competitions and has a long history of not handling funds well, has begun a subtle move to discredit the National Sports Commission, through a media campaign, claiming it has been starved of funds.
Already the NFF is not comfortable with the NSC’s directive to give 30 per cent of the prize money from WAFCON to the team. But the Sports Commission insists there is no going back regarding the issue of 30 per cent of the prize money for the team.
According to report by First Zealmediacast Blog, a top official of the NSC has vowed that no amount of intimidation or blackmail in the media will change the directive to payout the 30 per cent prize money to the team.
However, our investigation shows that other prize money winners at WAFCON have given a sizable percentage of the money to their players and technical support team. Ghana that finished third at the championship is offering a higher percentage of the prize money to the team and technical crew.
This line is buttressed by the views of some Presidents of sporting Federations as well as Administrators in the country, who strongly believe that, such gestures will motivate the team and also encourage other sportsmen and women to give their very best to the nation.
The NFF also claimed that Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been threatened with NSC top officials trying to run the show for the NFF.
This claim is far from the truth, as the NFF has put all the wrong fingers ahead since the start of the campaign to reach the World Cup finals with ill-advised appointment of coaches, late call ups of players and their failure to pay players allowance and bonuses on time.
The Super Eagles journey to the 2026 World Cup finals that is on the precipice of doom, with four must win games against Rwanda, South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe will be dissected during the all important meeting.
We gathered that the Flying Eagles final build up to the World Youth Championship in Chile next month alongside the WAFU B U-17 Championship to be hosted in Abeokuta will also be given adequate attention during the meeting.
It’s noteworthy to state that the Super Eagles voyage to reach the 2026 World Cup finals to the co-hosted by America, Canada and Mexico has hit the rock before the National Sports Commission (NSC), under the stewardship of Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon. Bukola Olopade was born.
Notable football stakeholders and sports administrators across the country believe that the meeting called by the NSC is very necessary if the NFF must get it right with the major competitions staring us in the face.
Emphasizing that the Sports Commission and the Football Federation should be burning the candle from both ends as regards the preparations for the 2026 World Cup finals.
