Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has shifted his attention fully to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria missed out on the World Cup after losing to DR Congo in the final round of the African qualifiers. This defeat marked the Super Eagles’ second consecutive absence from the global tournament.
Speaking ahead of Nigeria’s AFCON opener, Chelle said the World Cup disappointment must now be left behind, stressing that the team’s focus is on succeeding at AFCON.
According to the former Mali coach, dwelling on the failed qualification could distract the players from the task ahead.
“We are here, we have a game tomorrow, and we also have a tournament to play. We don’t have time to think about what has happened before,” Chelle said.
“This is not the moment to talk about the World Cup qualifiers. For now, the most important thing is this tournament.”
Chelle also described Nigeria’s opening match against Tanzania as very important to the team’s chances in the competition.
“Our first game is a big game. The first game is always very important, and of course, we want to win,” he added.
The Super Eagles will face Tanzania in their opening Group C match of the 2025 AFCON at the Fez Stadium in Fes, Morocco, on Tuesday, December 23.
