Augustine Eguavoen has urged Nigerians to unite and support newly appointed Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, if the country is to have any chance of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF officially appointed Eric Chelle as the head coach of the Super Eagles on Tuesday.
Chelle, a former Mali international, arrived in Nigeria on Sunday after parting ways with his Algerian club, MC Oran. He was unveiled by the NFF on Monday in a ceremony held in Abuja.
At the unveiling, Eguavoen, who had served as the interim head coach while the NFF searched for a permanent coach, spoke passionately about the importance of rallying behind Chelle during his tenure.
“It’s a hot seat, but we should do everything we can to make it as cool as possible,” Eguavoen said. “It’s not about me or Eric; it’s about Nigeria and flying our flag at the World Cup in 2026.”
Eguavoen, who had taken up the role of interim head coach for the fourth time in August 2024, had successfully guided Nigeria to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, set to take place in Morocco.
With Chelle’s appointment, Eguavoen will now focus on his duties as the head of the Technical Department at the NFF.
Chelle’s full tenure will officially begin in March when the 2026 World Cup qualification series resumes.
The Super Eagles are currently in a challenging position, sitting fifth in their group with just three points from four matches. They will face Rwanda on March 17, followed by a home fixture against Zimbabwe in Uyo on March 24.
