Super Eagles head coach Finidi George has resigned following a series of disappointing performances in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The former Nigerian international confirmed his resignation to Channels Television on Saturday, stating, “Yes, it is true. I have resigned.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has yet to issue an official response to George’s resignation. Under his leadership, the Eagles managed only a 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Benin Republic in Abidjan, significantly jeopardizing Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup.
These results extended Nigeria’s winless streak in the qualifiers, adding to the two previous draws recorded under former coach Jose Peseiro. Nigeria now stands fifth in Group C, only above Zimbabwe.
In the wake of the team’s poor performance, fans called for George’s dismissal. In response, the NFF and the Sports Minister held an emergency meeting with George after the South Africa and Benin Republic matches. Although George was not immediately dismissed, the NFF announced plans to hire an expatriate technical adviser for the Super Eagles. It remains unclear what role, if any, George will play in the team moving forward.
In a statement, the NFF said, “The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation held a meeting on Wednesday, 12th June 2024 in hybrid mode to deliberate on important issues in Nigeria Football and resolved as follows:
The Executive Committee wholeheartedly apologized to Nigerians for the dismal output and subsequent very poor returns of the Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles, in four out of 10 matches in the ongoing qualification series for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, and pledged to work assiduously and put necessary measures in place to ensure a better-prepared squad ahead of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers in September this year and the resumption of the World Cup qualifiers in March 2025.”
