The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is poised to appoint a foreign coach for the Super Eagles ahead of the remaining qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to resume in March 2025, GAANTFOOTBALL can exclusively reports.
According to a senior source, the NFF has been diligently working behind the scenes to finalize discussions, negotiations, and consultations for the appointment. “The NFF is actively pursuing the recruitment of a foreign coach for the Super Eagles. Significant progress has been made, and the process will soon be concluded,” the source revealed.
In a recent update, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau stated that efforts are underway to secure sponsorship deals to cover the salary of the new foreign coach. He confirmed ongoing discussions with corporate entities such as Dangote Group, BUA, MTN, and Baba Ijebu to secure the necessary funding. “Although Eguavoen has done a commendable job, any decision to hire a coach must ensure payment arrangements are in place,” Gusau emphasized.
GAANTfootball has learned that these sponsorship efforts have now borne fruit, clearing a significant hurdle in the recruitment process.
The NFF’s commitment to hiring a foreign coach was first announced in June after Finidi George stepped down following a string of poor performances in critical World Cup qualifiers. Augustine Eguavoen has since been managing the Super Eagles in an interim capacity, successfully steering them to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. However, the team’s lackluster performances in the final AFCON qualifiers, including a 1-1 draw against Benin and a 2-1 home defeat to Rwanda, highlighted persistent challenges.
Notably, Benin and Rwanda are in the same 2026 World Cup qualifying group as Nigeria. Rwanda currently leads the group with seven points, followed by South Africa and Benin, who are also on seven points but trail on goal difference. Nigeria sits second to last with only three points, placing their World Cup qualification hopes in jeopardy.
The Super Eagles will resume their campaign in March 2025, facing group leaders Rwanda in Kigali before hosting Zimbabwe, the bottom-placed team.
