Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has publicly called out the Super Eagles over their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that Nigerians are deeply unhappy with the team’s absence.
Wike made the blunt remarks on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Gwagwalada–Kuje Dual Carriageway in Abuja, where former national team captain Joseph Yobo was present.
Addressing Yobo directly in front of the crowd, the minister urged the ex-defender to take a stern message back to the current squad about the country’s disappointment.
“I saw people clapping for you; the moment they said ‘Super Eagles,’ I said I won’t clap because I watched the World Cup and saw countries I had never heard of before qualifying to play in the World Cup, but here, we did not qualify. Yobo, go and tell them we’re not happy,” Wike stated.
Nigeria missed out on the tournament—jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico—after a disastrous qualifying campaign where they failed to win any of their first four games.
Despite bringing in coach Eric Chelle to steady the ship and winning four of their last six matches, the Eagles ultimately lost the ticket to DR Congo on penalties in the African playoffs.
This heartbreak marks the second consecutive time Nigeria has missed the global showpiece, following their devastating away-goals rule elimination by Ghana ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The consecutive absences have sparked widespread fury from fans and stakeholders alike, especially since the country historically boasts one of Africa’s proudest football records with six previous World Cup appearances.
