Following the Super Eagles’ inability to advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) expressed regret to President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians on Monday.
Nigeria’s dreams of competing in the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the US, and Mexico were dashed on Sunday in Rabat, Morocco, after they lost to DR Congo on penalties in a fiercely contested African play-off final.
The NFF called the loss “a moment of profound sadness for Nigerian football” in a statement released on its official X handle on Monday.
The statement read: “The Nigeria Football Federation wishes to openly and sincerely apologise to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), to the Federal Government as a whole; and to millions of Nigerians, most especially our passionate, loyal football fans, following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
“Sunday’s loss to DR Congo in the Africa Play-off Final in Rabat remains a moment of profound sadness for Nigerian football. For a nation where the Super Eagles serve as a symbol of unity, hope, and collective pride, missing out on the World Cup for a second consecutive time is a disappointment of great weight and emotional depth.
“The NFF, the technical crew, and the players understand the gravity of this moment. We understand the expectations Nigerians rightly hold. We understand the passion and sacrifice of a country that has always stood firmly behind its team, through triumphs and trials. And we recognise that our collective effort did not deliver the outcome this nation deserved.”
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