2026 World Cup Qualifier: NFF Blames Super Eagles Draw With Zimbabwe On Saboteurs

2026 World Cup Qualifier: NFF Blames Super Eagles Draw With Zimbabwe On Saboteurs

By Niyi Busari

A board member of Nigeria Football Federation (name withhold) has blamed the Super Eagles 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium Uyo on the saboteurs, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The board member in a chat with BSN Sports said enemy within the NFF are busy working tirelessly against the Super Eagles qualification for the World Cup so as to make the second term bidding difficult for the President, Ibrahim Gusau.

After not-too-good performance in the first four games, hope rises for Super Eagles when they away win in matchday 6 beating Rwanda 2-0 in front of their hiome fans. The hope of qualifying for the Mundial continued to rise when it was reported that FIFA may deduct three points from South Africa after fielding an ineligible player - Teboho Mokoena - in their 2-0 victory over Lesotho. 

Confident to close the gap and move up in the Group D table, Nigeria failed to beat less fancied Zimbabwe recorded 1-1 draw despite scoring in the 71st minute only to allow Zimbabweans equalized with just few minutes to end the game. It was a devastating moment for Nigerians as all hopes diminished.

Reacting, the board member who pleaded anonymity said, "it was not the faults of the Super Eagles players to beat Zimbabwe when they knew what was in the stake, but some members of the NFF who are working against the president. They want Super Eagles not to qualify, so that they can use that as a yardstick for failure and ask him (NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau) not to bother to return for second term. He told BSN Sports

He continued, "Recall that, one of the biggest problem Amaju Pinnick faced when seeking for third term was the failure to qualify for the 2022 fifa World Cup in Qatar.

H added, "In the game against Zimbabwe in Uyo, if not for prayers, Nigeria would have lost that game. Did you notice that Super Eagles have not won any match at home in the 2026 World Cup campaign?

"We are also working hard in making sure these enemy within are disgraced when Super Eagles finally qualify for the world cup." He concluded.

Super Eagles are fourth in Group C with seven points from six games while table toppers, South Africa have 13 points, Rwanda and Benin Republic are in second and third positions with eight points. Lesotho have six points while Zimbabwe have four.