- Eric Chelle will manage his first two games as Super Eagles' manager in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
- Nigeria will face the Wasps of Rwanda and the Warriors of Zimbabwe during the March international break
- A former head coach of the Super Eagles has charged the Malian boss on why both matches are a must-win
Pressure is mounting on Eric Chelle as he prepares to take charge of his first games as Super Eagles boss, and he has received a stern warning from a former coach of the national team.
Chelle was officially unveiled as the new head coach of the Super Eagles last month despite outrage from Nigerian football fans when the Nigerian Football Federation announced his announcement.
The former Mali international’s first two games will be against the Wasps of Rwanda and the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
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Rwanda are top of the group while Zimbabwe are fourth, one place ahead of Nigeria who have three points from the opening four games with three draws and one loss.
Chief Onigbinde charges Chelle
Former head coach of the Super Eagles Chief Adeboye Onigbinde has charged Chelle to harness the quality available in the team, which is enough reason to beat
“It depends on how you look at it. If you are thinking of the quality possessed by Nigeria, what I can call natural talents, then there is no reason why Nigeria should not beat Rwanda,” he told Complete Sports.
“Not only Rwanda but other teams in our group. Nigeria has the materials to be one of the best in the world. But then, how do we manage some of these talents?
“I want the best for the Super Eagles at this point in time. Both the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and qualifying for the 2026 World Cup should be our priorities.”
Nigeria have to beat both teams to keep their hopes of qualification alive, as any result other than a win could prove costly as the nation cannot afford to miss out on consecutive World Cups.
Chelle, during his first press conference acknowledged the talent in the team, with the likes of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and others at his disposal.
As noted by OwnGoal Nigeria, Chelle has a contract that covers the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but he could reportedly be relieved of his duties if Nigeria fails to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The technical director of the Nigerian Football Federation Augustine Eguavoen guided the team through the AFCON 2025 qualifying campaign and nearly went unbeaten but lost the final game to Rwanda in Uyo.
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Former coaches Jose Peseiro and Finidi George managed two games each at the start of the qualifiers, putting Nigeria in a difficult situation for the remainder of the campaign.
Rwanda face World Cup uncertainty
Legit.ng reported that Rwanda face uncertainty ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier as they are yet to hire a new manager after the AFCON qualifier.
German manager Franck Spittler left after his contract expired last year even though some players wanted him to stay despite failing to qualify for AFCON 2025.
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