John Obi Mikel, a former international footballer for Nigeria, has called for the entire board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), headed by Ibrahim Musa Gusau, to step down. This demand follows the national football team’s failure to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles faced elimination after a nerve-wracking penalty shootout against the DR Congo team in November 2025.
Since Nigeria's inaugural appearance in the World Cup in 1994, the country has only missed the tournament thrice: in 2006, 2022, and now 2026. This latest setback marks their first consecutive absences from the global event during that span.
In a conversation with talkSPORT, Mikel, a veteran with 89 caps for Nigeria and a participant in both the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, emphasized that those governing Nigerian football must take accountability for the failed qualification effort.
He expressed, "It’s a hammer blow and I’ve said it so many times that when you have a country as big as we do, over 300 million people, the biggest in Africa, and we’re not going to the World Cup for the second time in a row, the FA, the people that are managing the FA should all resign. They have to resign because this is the second time it’s happened."
Mikel lamented, "We possess one of the finest teams in Africa, yet we will not be at the World Cup. It’s a disaster. It’s a disaster."
He continued, "Thus, those in charge of the FA, including the president (Ibrahim Musa Gusau), and the rest of the organization, must resign, as African football is making significant progress and Nigeria is falling behind."
He remarked on the situation, stating, "We should be leading the efforts. Look at the Morocco national football team and what they are achieving. They are improving and developing, while we seem to be regressing time and again."
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