Odegbami Says Nigeria Facing Worst Period In Football History

Former Nigeria international Segun Odegbami says the country is experiencing the “worst time” in its football history as the Super Eagles prepare to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Naija News reports that Nigeria will face Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday, September 25, with kick-off scheduled for 5 pm Nigerian time, before travelling to Guinea-Bissau for their second Group L fixture on 29 September.

Odegbami, who helped Nigeria win their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980, said the problems extend beyond the senior national teams.

Both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons failed to qualify for their respective FIFA World Cups, while the country’s age-grade teams and clubs have also struggled in recent competitions.

“It has never been this bad in our entire history that we didn’t qualify for the World Cup,” the 74-year-old told BBC Sport Africa.

“Our girls (the Super Falcons), who were African champions, failed to win a competition (the 2025 Women’s Afcon) that was just there for their taking. All our junior teams are not doing well.

“Our local league is not bringing in money. Something is definitely wrong.”

The situation has also triggered major changes within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), with president Ibrahim Gusau, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and several executive committee members resigning in August.

A joint FIFA and CAF delegation is working with the National Sports Commission (NSC) on a roadmap for reforms, while the NFF elections scheduled for 27 September have been suspended.

Meanwhile, concerns over deteriorating infrastructure and inadequate investment have also featured in discussions about Nigerian football. Odegbami said several stadiums that once served as important football venues had fallen into disrepair after years of neglect.

He cited the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, which hosted matches during the 1980 and 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, alongside the Liberty Stadium, now Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, in Ibadan, Kaduna’s Ahmadu Bello Stadium and the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

“I weep when I think of the amount of damage they have done to Nigerian football – the infrastructure that we had in the country, some of the historic monuments that were facilities for football in this country,” he said.

“Whether it was wilful, whether it was ignorance, they did irreparable damage to what was Nigeria’s heritage.

“Uyo is the best we have in Nigeria, but it is not half as good as what we had from the 1960s to the 90s.”

Odegbami also highlighted major sporting investments across Africa, with Senegal set to host the Youth Olympic Games, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia staging the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup, Kenya hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships and Morocco co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.