Tinubu, NIS DG To Super Eagles: Shift Focus To AFCON Preparations

President Bola Tinubu has commended the Super Eagles for the efforts in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoffs in spite of Sunday’s defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in Morocco.
‎Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, conveyed this in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja.
‎Tinubu urged the team to put the loss behind them and focus on preparations for the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled for December 2025 to January 2026 in Morocco.
‎The Eagles were edged out of the qualifiers after a 1-1 draw in extra time, followed by a 4-3 penalty loss to DR Congo, marking Nigeria’s second consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup.
The president said that although the defeat was painful, the team deserved commendation for their spirited push, particularly after winning the first playoff match against Gabon.
‎He added that “notwithstanding the unfortunate loss, we must commend the players for their efforts and continue to support them.
‎“We must now plug all the loopholes. Our football administrators, players and indeed all stakeholders must go back to the drawing board.
“Now is the time to focus all efforts on the Cup of Nations. Our Super Eagles must recover the lost glory.”
The Super Eagles fell just short in the last AFCON final, edged narrowly 2-1 by hosts Côte d’Ivoire in a tense showdown that left Nigeria with a hard-fought silver.
Also yesterday, Philip Shaibu, the Director General of the National Institute of Sports (NIS), charged the Super Eagles to shift their focus to the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) after missing out on the world cup qualification.
The result meant Nigeria will not progress to the intercontinental stage of the World Cup playoffs, hence will not be at the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by U.S, Canada and Mexico.
In a statement by Ben Ogbemudia, the Special Assistant on Media to the D-G, Shiabu described the loss as painful, while appealing to Nigerians not to relent in their support for the team.