Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has tendered a heartfelt apology to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian citizens following the Super Eagles’ Sunday defeat and disqualification in the World Cup Qualifiers Playoff against DR Congo.
DR Congo came back from a goal down to beat Nigeria 4-3
on penalties in a tightly-contested African play-offs final on Sunday, November
16, to pick Africa’s sole ticket for the intercontinental play-offs billed for
March next year.
In a statement shared on X, NFF described the defeat as a
moment of profound sadness for Nigerian football. But vowed to reclaim
Nigeria's standing on the global stage.
The NFF also revealed its plan to go into a rigorous review
process to evaluate the technical, administrative, and structural gaps that
must have contributed to the team's performance.
The statement reads, “The Nigeria Football Federation wishes
to openly and sincerely apologise to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu (GCFR), to the Federal Government as a whole; and to millions of
Nigerians, most especially our passionate, loyal football fans, following the
Super Eagles failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
“Sunday’s loss to DR Congo in the Africa Play-off Final in
Rabat remains a moment of profound sadness for Nigerian football. For a nation
where the Super Eagles serve as a symbol of unity, hope, and collective pride,
missing out on the World Cup for a second consecutive time is a disappointment
of great weight and emotional depth.”
The statement added, “The NFF, the technical crew, and the
players understand the gravity of this moment. We understand the expectations
Nigerians rightly hold. We understand the passion and sacrifice of a country
that has always stood firmly behind its team, through triumphs and trials. And
we recognise that our collective effort did not deliver the outcome this nation
deserved.
The statement continued, “Throughout the long journey of
this qualification campaign, we were privileged to receive enormous support
from the Federal Government through the National Sports Commission, the
National Assembly, key Ministries, Departments and Agencies, our diplomatic
missions, the media, and, above all, the passionate fans whose devotion remains
unmatched anywhere in the world.”
“Football in Nigeria is more than a game. It is a national
language. A bridge across cultures, a source of pride and emotional identity. A
powerful symbol of unity that binds over 200 million people as one family. We
owe it to this nation to honour that bond with sincerity, accountability, and
action.”The statement further reads, “As we look forward, our immediate
attention turns to the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, which begins
shortly. This tournament presents an opportunity for healing, for renewal, and
for demonstrating the resilience that has always defined Nigerian football.
“In the coming days, the NFF Board and Management will enter
into a rigorous review process, honest, uncompromising, and strategic. We will
evaluate the technical, administrative, and
structural gaps that led to this outcome. And we will take
decisive steps to reposition our national teams for future success.”
“We make this solemn commitment to the people of Nigeria: We
will rebuild trust. We will restore pride. We will reclaim our standing on the
global stage. We will not allow this disappointment to be the final word on
Nigerian football.
“Nigeria is a nation of resilience, of spirit, of unyielding
hope. Just as our people rise from every challenge, so too will the Super
Eagles,” the statement concluded.
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