Nigeria coach Eric Chelle cites Zimbabwe draw as key factor in 2026 World Cup miss

Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle said the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was largely due to a costly home draw against Zimbabwe. He noted that when he took charge in January, the team had only three points from twelve, and that the two points dropped against Zimbabwe “hurt us a lot.” Chelle also referenced an away draw with South Africa and a playoff defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties as further setbacks.

He emphasized that the squad gave its all in the final stages but was unable to secure the decisive results needed to reach the World Cup, and that rebuilding will continue under his guidance for future competitions.