2026 World Cup: Amaju Pinnick Confident Nigeria Will Qualify

The Super Eagles may have missed out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but they are far from giving up on their dream of making it to the 2026 edition of the prestigious tournament. Currently sitting in fifth place in Group C of the qualification race, Nigeria trails group leaders Rwanda by four points after four rounds of matches. Despite the challenges, a former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, remains hopeful about the team’s chances.

Pinnick, who is also a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, spoke candidly about the road ahead for the Super Eagles during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sports Tonight. While acknowledging the tough task at hand, he expressed confidence that Nigeria could still secure a spot in the World Cup scheduled to be jointly hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada in 2026.

“We believe we would still qualify by God’s grace,” Pinnick remarked on Friday’s show. “I speak to the president of the NFF every other day, and I know how deeply committed he is to qualifying Nigeria for the World Cup. It’s going to be a tough call. I don’t want to raise the hopes of Nigerians too high, but we will push to the limit of our human potential. On a scale of 1 to 10, we’ll aim for a 10, and see where it takes us. We believe it’s all in God’s hands.”

Pinnick also appealed for continued support for the NFF, emphasizing that the federation’s leadership is working tirelessly to improve Nigerian football and deliver success. “The NFF is doing everything they can to make the federation work,” he explained. “Trust me, they don’t want to be in the position they’re in right now. They want to succeed, move forward, and bring pride to Nigerians.”

The former NFF president urged Nigerians to stay positive and optimistic about the team’s prospects, calling for a focus on the “positive picture” as the Super Eagles continue their qualification campaign. “Let’s not think negatively. Let’s focus on the goal and believe in the possibility of qualifying,” he said.

In a further boost to the team’s preparations, Pinnick confirmed that the NFF is close to announcing a new head coach for the Super Eagles, a move he described as critical to the team’s chances of success. “Any moment now, I’m sure they will announce an enterprising coach,” he added.