Amaju Pinnick says the Super Eagles’ World Cup miss was caused by FIFA’s revised qualification format, insisting Nigeria would have qualified under the old system

Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, says the Super Eagles’ World Cup miss for the 2026 tournament was partly the result of FIFA’s revised African qualification format, insisting Nigeria would have secured a ticket if the 2018 structure had been retained.

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Pinnick made the remarks on Monday at the Big Sport Dialogue in Ikoyi, where he was questioned by the National President of the Authentic Nigeria Football and Allied Sports Supporters Club, Abayomi Ogunjimi, on Nigeria’s repeated failure to reach football’s biggest stage.

Ogunjimi had asked how Pinnick’s influence as former first Vice President of CAF and a member of the FIFA Council translated into tangible benefits for Nigerian football, noting that the Super Eagles also missed the 2022 World Cup during his second tenure.

Responding, Pinnick rejected the insinuation that the 2022 failure reflected poor leadership, arguing that Nigeria neither lost nor won across the decisive fixtures and was instead affected by a qualification process that differed from the one used in 2018.

“You said we did not qualify under me. We did not lose, and we did not win,” Pinnick said
“If they had followed the same format used in 2018—where we were in one of the toughest groups with Zambia, Cameroon and Algeria—we qualified with two games to spare.”

The former NFF boss highlighted several achievements during his tenure, including high-profile friendly victories over Argentina and Poland, and a competitive performance against England.

He also took credit for negotiating the now-iconic national team jersey design with Nike.

“This jersey you are seeing today, I sat with Nike and told them to freestyle,” he added.

Pinnick further claimed his administration secured unprecedented Nigerian representation across CAF and FIFA committees, noting that at least 25 Nigerians occupied various continental and global football roles during his tenure.

He declined to detail all interventions, saying some accomplishments were “better left unsaid,” but insisted that insiders understood the extent of his contributions.

“Today, we have Nigerians in the FIFA Ethics Committee and top positions. Aisha Falode is in the FIFA Media Committee. A lot of Nigerians did not get there by chance,” he said.

Despite Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 World Cup, Pinnick emphasised that his current role as Vice President of the tournament’s organising committee remained significant not just for Africa but globally.

He welcomed scrutiny, saying difficult questions were vital for progress, but urged Nigerians to highlight achievements rather than dwell on shortcomings.