Following the scandalous failure of the Golden Eaglets to qualify for next year’s U17 AFCON, President Bola Tinubu must now as a matter of urgency appoint a Presidential Task Force to oversee major footballing tournaments like the Super Eagles 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign because the NFF leadership clearly lacks the capacity to steer Nigeria football to glory.
As SCORENigeria first warned, this clueless NFF administration planned for the Golden Eaglets to fail at the just-concluded WAFU B U17 AFCON.
The scandalous ouster of the Golden Eaglets from the sub-regional qualifying tournament that they had won only two years ago was the consequence of the incompetence of the NFF leadership.
For whatever reasons, Manu Garba only had three weeks to prepare a team for a competition that has the mandatory eligibility age test.
The five-time world champions at U17 level will now not be one of possibly 10 teams to feature at the expanded 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.
The same fate must therefore not be allowed to befall the Super Eagles, whose 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign is in the balance after two laboured draws in their opening two matches last year.
SCORENigeria will against this background demand for President Bola Tinubu to appoint a Presidential Task Force made up of competent stakeholders, who will directly supervise the country’s World Cup campaign.
This Task Force will not only ensure all the necessary logistical needs of the Super Eagles are provided, but also source for sponsorships and expertise for the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
It is on record that it was a Presidential Task Force that masterminded Nigeria’s qualification to the 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa.
This Task Force even went the extra mile to secure additional funds to build a befitting office that the NFF can now proudly call their own.
Rather than be decisive and timely in taking major decisions like the appointment of a new Super Eagles coach, the present NFF leadership has preferred to gallivant around the world all expenses paid.
Qualification to the 2026 World Cup is a Nigerian project that must be taken seriously and by those who have the capacity to do so.
It cannot be left to the NFF that have shown they are clearly overwhelmed by the task they have been saddled with.
Nigeria football can no longer be reduced to celebrating near successes and failures.
