Figure 1 It could be a tough year ahead for Nigeria – Source: Pixabay
As 2024 draws to a close, it is fair to say that it has been another up and down year for the Super Eagles. Kicking off with the delayed AFCON in the Ivory Coast, an unfancied Nigeria made it all the way to the final before eventually falling to the host nation. It had been something of an overachievement but also suggested that it could be a good year ahead.
However, results did not go as planned after that. José Peseiro left his position as head coach, with Augustine Eguavoen taking over temporarily for the first of his two spells in charge. Finidi George was briefly in the position before resigning because of the announcement that the NFF was bringing in a foreign technical advisor.
Eguavoen oversaw a successful AFCON qualification campaign that saw Nigeria book its place at the finals in Morocco next year. That tournament is scheduled to take place over the New Year period but what do the next 12 months have in store for the Super Eagles? A place at AFCON is assured but online betting sites are not confident that Nigeria will qualify for World Cup 2026. Here’s our look ahead to 2025.
Easing Into the Year
The final games of the year turned out to be something of a disappointment. Although Nigeria qualified top of the group for next year’s AFCON, a draw with Benin and a home defeat to Rwanda will not change the mood of much of the fan base and its feelings about the current set-up.
The next few months will be crucial for the Super Eagles. Even though there are no international windows until March, Eguavoen needs to keep in touch with his players around the world and hope that they remain fit and healthy. There is no easy start to the new calendar year schedule so the months off will need to be used wisely.
World Cup Qualification
Now that AFCON qualification has been achieved, Super Eagles minds have swiftly moved on to the World Cup campaign. After missing out on the competition in Qatar in 2022 entirely, making it to North America in 2026 should be an absolute priority for everyone involved. That probably means the need for two wins initially, against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March.
The Super Eagles currently sit in fifth position in the group and, although there is not much between the teams, losing either of the next two games would be a disaster. The rest of the campaign comes in September and October, with the real possibility of a winner-takes-all final game against Benin on home soil.
New Coach
One thing that can almost definitely be predicted is that Nigeria will have yet another head coach in place by the time those final World Cup qualification games come around. It seems as though Augustine Eguavoen will remain in charge for March’s fixtures but the NFF is actively searching for a new man.
Some of the players were unhappy that Peseiro left his role as head coach and the rest of the year has been too chaotic for the team to properly prepare. The farce of the situation in Libya didn’t help and now a new man in charge will have to get the players together and work towards a common goal.
FIFA Ranking
Qualifying for the World Cup in 2026 is the most important item on the Super Eagles to-do list at the current time. But a by-product of that achievement would be hopefully climbing the FIFA rankings in the process. The latest moves saw Nigeria suffer the biggest drop, falling to 44th in the world and fifth in Africa. Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria all now look much better than the Super Eagles.
The dip in the rankings obviously reflects badly on the Nigeria team. But it can also have some more long-term ramifications. If the current form continues, a poor ranking will determine seeding for future AFCON and World Cup campaigns. That could make it even tougher for Nigeria to qualify and continue the downward spiral.
AFCON 2025
Nigeria will already know whether it has qualified for World Cup 2026 by the time AFCON comes around in December but little more is known at this point in time. The draw for the group stage of the finals in Morocco has not been completed as yet, leaving the teams in limbo going into the new year.
The Super Eagles have not won the competition since 2013 but the last tournament should give the team some hope of claiming another honor. Anything can happen at a finals and although Morocco will be the big favorite to win on home soil, a good Nigeria effort would do wonders – especially if the World Cup qualification campaign has already been saved.
Figure 2 There are some difficult games coming up in 2025 for the Super Eagles – Source: Unsplash
Long Term Work
Whatever the next 12 months bring for the Super Eagles, one thing that is very clear is that Nigerian football has to get its house in order. That means more long-term investment in the game within the country and better organization of the national teams. Players are consistently becoming frustrated with the way they are treated when they come back to represent their country and that has an effect on performances.
Better governance at home, coupled with a more stable coaching situation for the national side, will play its part in improving the standard of the football on display. That will then lead to more qualifications and higher rankings. Maybe then Nigeria can rise once again to a place as one of the elite football teams in Africa – and the world.
