Put World Cup loss behind, focus on AFCON — Tinubu urges Super Eagles

Following the painful elimination of the Super Eagles from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, President Bola Tinubu has charged the national team to immediately shift focus and begin preparations for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament. In a statement released by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President commended the Super Eagles for their efforts, despite the loss in the playoffs on Sunday, November 16. Nigerias dream of featuring in the 2026 World Cup was shattered when DR Congo eliminated the Super Eagles in a dramatic qualifier play-off held in Morocco. The tense match ended 1-1 after extra time and was ultimately decided by a 4-3 penalty shootout in favor of DR Congo, which now advances to the Inter-Confederation play-off.President Tinubu acknowledged the deep disappointment felt across the nation, noting the loss meant the Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup tournament for the second consecutive time. He stated, Notwithstanding the unfortunate loss, we must commend the players for their efforts and continue to support them. We must now plug all the loopholes. Our football administrators, players, and indeed all stakeholders must go back to the drawing board. The President concluded with a clear mandate: Now is the time to focus all efforts on the Cup of Nations. Our Super Eagles must recover the lost glory.  STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASEPresident Tinubu commends Super Eagles, urges the team to prepare for the African Nations CupPresident Bola Tinubu commends the Super Eagles for putting up their best efforts towards qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, despite their loss in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/ABlAQWmHs1 Bayo Onanuga, OON, CON (@aonanuga1956) November 17, 2025  This loss marks a devastating setback for a talented generation of Nigerian footballers. The defeat ends their bid for the 2026 World Cup and puts immense pressure on the team to perform at the next major tournament.The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) to hold in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, is now the immediate priority for the team.