2026 World Cup: We will fight to the end — Gusau

•says NFF will respect Finidi’s contract

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has assured Nigerians that the Federation will take every necessary step to ensure that Nigeria’s flag is hoisted at the next World Cup which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

The NFF boss stated this after a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, who had summoned the leadership of the football house over Super Eagles’ woeful results in the Match Days 3 and 4 qualifiers against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa and the Cheetahs of Benin Republic respectively.

News HQ reports that Nigeria could only pick one point out of the maximum six and is currently languishing in the 5th position on the table in a group that has South Africa, Rwanda, Benin, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Gusau, who was visibly sad about the Eagles’ poor results, said all hands are on deck to put Nigeria back on track as far the qualification for the World Cup is concerned. He added that the football house is working in partnership with the Sports Ministry and will come out with measures that will bring smiles back to the faces of every football-loving Nigerian very soon.

He, however, added that the Eagles would have rediscovered their forms before the next round of World Cup qualifiers in March next year as the players would have played some AFCON qualifiers. He, nonetheless did not rule out bringing serious-minded players to fortify the team going forward.

“It’s a very sad moment for Nigerian football. We cannot run away from that. But all I want to assure is that we are working tirelessly in conjunction with the minister to see that we come out with holistic measures that will change the face of the entire system so that we can move forward.

“Don’t forget it (qualifying for the World Cup) is still possible and I want to assure you that we are going to fight it to the latter and Nigeria will qualify for the World Cup. This is not something I will just say it now but very soon you are going to see major steps that NFF will come out with and by the grace of God, those measures that we are going to take will lead us to qualify for the next World Cup.

“And then don’t also forget that by the next round of qualifiers (for the World Cup), we have the AFCON qualifiers and we are going to play almost six matches before March next year (when the World Cup qualifiers will resume) and by the grace of God that will show Nigerians the kind of steps we are taking or we are going to take to make sure that we qualify for the World Cup.“

We are looking holistically at the general affairs of the team. And as I said, very soon, Nigerians will see the measures we are going to take.

Whatever it takes us for us to do, we will do and think outside the box to make sure that everywhere we can see or find any player that is fit to play for Nigeria, we’ll try as much as possible to get in touch with them so that at least have a pool of players that will play for this country to help us to qualify for the next World Cup.

“And don’t forget as I said earlier, the AFCON qualifiers are there and by the grace of God, Nigerians will see a holistic change as far as the Super Eagles team is concerned entirely. And finally, I just want to assure Nigerians that they should continue to pray for us and by the grace of God, I want to assure them that we will fight to make sure that we qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Speaking on whether Finidi George will still continue as the national team coach based on the results recorded by his players, Gusau said NFF the former Ajax of Amsterdam of Holland winger has a subsisting contract which the football house will honour.

“Whatever the situation is, mind you Finidi has a contract. So we still have to respect that contract and whatever we need to do in order to ensure that we achieve what we want to achieve we are going to do it and Nigeria will know about it very soon,” Gusau said.

Other NFF officials who were part of the meeting are the first vice president, Felix Anyansi-Agwu; general secretary, Mohammed Sanusi; technical director, Augustine Eguavoen; Coach Finidi George and head of international competitions, Dayo Enebi.