Following the painful elimination of the Super Eagles from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, President Bola Tinubu has charged the national team to immediately shift focus and begin preparations for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.

 

 

 

In a statement released by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President commended the Super Eagles for their efforts, despite the loss in the playoffs on Sunday, November 16.

 

 

 

 

Nigeria’s dream of featuring in the 2026 World Cup was shattered when DR Congo eliminated the Super Eagles in a dramatic qualifier play-off held in Morocco. The tense match ended 1-1 after extra time and was ultimately decided by a 4-3 penalty shootout in favor of DR Congo, which now advances to the Inter-Confederation play-off.

 

 

President Tinubu acknowledged the deep disappointment felt across the nation, noting the loss meant the Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup tournament for the second consecutive time.

 

 

 

He stated, “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.”

 

 

 

 

The President concluded with a clear mandate: “Now is the time to focus all efforts on the Cup of Nations. Our Super Eagles must recover the lost

glory.”