Amaju Pinnick, a former president of the Nigeria Soccer Federation, NFF, has claimed that the nationwide crew didn’t qualify for the 2026 World Cup due to a change within the qualification format.
Based on Pinnick, the Tremendous Eagles would have made it if the format from 2018 was nonetheless in place.
He acknowledged this whereas answering questions on the Large Sport Dialogu in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday.
Pinnick insisted that in 2022 Nigeria neither misplaced nor gained of their playoff conflict with Ghana.
“You stated we didn’t qualify below me. We didn’t lose, and we didn’t win,” he stated.
“If that they had adopted the identical format they adopted in 2018, the place we have been in probably the most troublesome group within the historical past of soccer, with Zambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria, we had two video games to spare and certified for the World Cup.”
This yr, Nigeria misplaced 4-3 on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo within the last of the African playoffs, after defeating Gabon 4-0 within the semi-finals.
DR Congo will now characterize the continent on the intercontinental playoffs in March 2026.
