Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - Director General of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, has dismissed speculation linking Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle with a move away from Nigeria amid reported interest from Tunisia, Gabon and Angola.
Chelle has attracted attention following Nigeria’s bronze
medal finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The Malian coach
currently has less than a year remaining on his contract with the Nigeria
Football Federation, sparking rumours about his future.
However, Olopade insisted that Chelle remains fully
committed to the Super Eagles and will not be leaving his role.
“Eric Chelle is not going anywhere. The countries claiming
interest in him don’t have the kind of superstars that make his job easier,”
Olopade said.
He explained that Chelle’s success with Nigeria has been
largely due to the quality of players available to him, describing them as the
right tools needed to execute his football ideas effectively.
“We must not forget that Eric thrived because he had the
right equipment and instruments — the quality personnel he used to execute his
ideas,” he added.
Olopade also revealed that he maintains a close working
relationship with the coach, noting that discussions about Chelle’s future are
ongoing at the highest level.
“I had dinner with him two days ago at my house in Abuja.
I’m not the NFF president, but we operate with a collaborative approach, and
Eric Chelle has become both a brother and a friend.
“That same night, I called the NFF president, and hopefully
by Tuesday or Wednesday, we’ll all sit down together,” Olopade told
Footy-Africa.
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