Sunday Oliseh Sends Warning to Super Eagles Ahead of 2026 World Cup

• Sunday Oliseh has warned that the Super Eagles of Nigeria must qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
• The coach is unimpressed that Nigeria failed to take part in the global showpiece this time in Qatar
• He said that Nigeria is behind after missing in action in Qatar, adding that the country must prepare

Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has disclosed that it will not be funny if Nigeria fail to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria missed out on the 2022 edition of the tournament in Qatar, having lost the ticket to Ghana in the final round of the qualifiers.

Oliseh, who was on FIFA assignment at the global showpiece in Qatar, has insisted that Nigeria must be at the 2026 tournament to be co-hosted by USA, Mexico and Canada.

He said in an interview on ARISE TV on Monday via Complete Sports:

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“Nigeria football will be all but dead if we failed to qualify for the next World Cup. We’re already behind many countries because we didn’t qualify (for Qatar 2022) and we’re farther behind because we didn’t participate at this World Cup.

“Football is a religion in this country, but when you don’t have a solid league, you cannot have a good national team.”

The competition will be expanded to 48 teams, with Africa presenting nine qualifiers.

Amaju Pinnick reacts

Former president of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick has once again lamented Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Pinnick suggested that the Super Eagles would have won the ongoing global showpiece in Qatar if they had qualified.

The Delta State-born football administrator was the NFF head since 2014. Under his leadership, Nigeria failed to qualify for the Mundial before his second tenure ended in September.

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Sports Brief earlier reported that Ex-internationals Sunday Oliseh and Dosu Joseph have urged midfielder Alex Iwobi to remain at English Premier League club Everton. Iwobi’s recent form has stunned fans and pundits, and a number of clubs have now set sights on signing him as soon as the January Transfer Window opens.

Having struggled in his first two seasons at Goodison Park, the Nigerian international picked up form since the arrival of Frank Lampard as the club manager.