NFF’s Bold Choice: Eric Chelle Appointed Super Eagles Coach

Eric Chelle

This announcement makes Chelle the 42nd substantive head coach of the Super Eagles, following a media conference at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

Recall that Chelle’s appointment was recommended by the NFF’s Technical and Development Committee. The 47-year-old former Mali international becomes the third coach to lead the Super Eagles since Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro’s departure.

Chelle and his team will prepare the Super Eagles B side for the upcoming African Nations Championship, scheduled to take place in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda next month.

After the Championship, the coaching team will focus on the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, beginning with matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March.

Since his appointment, opinions have been mixed, especially regarding the choice to hire a coach from Africa rather than a Nigerian candidate.

Additionally, Chelle faced challenges transitioning into his new role due to his contractual commitments with his former club, MC Oran, where he had a two-year contract that began in October 2024. He parted ways with Mali’s national team in July 2024 after a successful tenure.

In his final match with MC Oran, Chelle led the team to a 1-0 victory in the Algerian Cup before starting discussions with the club’s management about his future, which eventually led to his new position with the Super Eagles.