
Following the Super Eagles’ failure to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) apologized to President Bola Tinubu and the country’s citizens on Monday.
The Super Eagles’ hopes of participating in the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States, and Mexico were shattered by the penalty-acid defeat of DR Congo in a tightly contested African play-off final on Sunday in Rabat, Morocco.
The NFF described the defeat as “a moment of profound sadness for Nigerian football” in a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday.
It noted that the country’s decision to miss the World Cup for a second time in a row represented a bitter setback, carrying “great weight and emotional depth.”
Read more about Tinubu’s request for Super Eagles to concentrate on AFCON following the World Cup.
Following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, the Nigeria Football Federation apologizes to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), the Federal Government as a whole, and to millions of Nigerians, especially our devoted, passionate football fans.
The Nigerian football team’s loss to DR Congo in the Africa Play-off Final on Sunday is still deeply sad. Missing out on the World Cup for a second consecutive time is a disappointment of great weight and depth for a nation where the Super Eagles represent a symbol of unity, hope, and collective pride.
The players, the technical crew, and the NFF are aware of the urgency of this situation. We fully comprehend the expectations that Nigerians have. Through triumphs and tribulations, we are aware of the passion and sacrifice of a nation that has always firmly supported its team. And we acknowledge that the outcome this country deserved from our collective efforts.
The Nigeria Football Federation apologizes to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), the Federal Government as a whole, and to millions of Nigerians, especially our devoted, passionate football supporters, in full and sincere ways.









