Mikel Demands NFF Board Resign Over Football Crisis

 

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has called on the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by Ibrahim Musa Gusau, to resign, insisting that Nigerian football urgently needs fresh leadership and new ideas.

Mikel made the call amid growing criticism of the administration following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The former Chelsea midfielder argued that the country cannot continue on the same path and expect different results.

Speaking on the Joy Sports Podcast in Ghana, Mikel said changes were necessary if Nigeria wanted to restore its football fortunes and compete successfully at the highest level.

“We want changes in the Nigeria Football Federation because we want to grow our football,” the former captain said. 

Mikel pointed to Nigeria’s failure to qualify for two consecutive World Cups as evidence that something fundamental must change. The Super Eagles missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar before failing again to secure a place at the 2026 edition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

For a country with Nigeria’s football history and abundance of talent, Mikel described the situation as unacceptable. He said the country needed the right people with the right ideas to take charge of the game.

The former midfielder’s latest intervention adds to mounting pressure on the Gusau-led NFF board. Other former internationals and football stakeholders have also demanded reforms, while questions have continued to be raised about the administration and development of Nigerian football. 

The crisis has extended beyond the Super Eagles. Nigeria’s Super Falcons also failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, adding to concerns over the performance of the country’s various national teams. 

Former Super Eagles defender Efe Sodje has meanwhile warned that any review of Nigerian football must be genuinely independent. He argued that former players should have a meaningful role and cautioned against allowing the NFF to effectively investigate itself. 

Mikel’s intervention therefore goes beyond a demand for individual resignations. It has reopened a much bigger debate about the administration, development and future direction of Nigerian football—and whether the country is prepared to make the structural changes necessary to restore its place among Africa’s football powers.