It Has Never Been This Bad — Odegbami Sounds Alarm Over Nigeria’s Football Crisis

Former Nigeria international Segun Odegbami has expressed deep concern over the state of Nigerian football, describing the current situation as one of the worst periods in the country’s history.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Odegbami, who was part of the Nigerian team that won the country’s first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980, said the challenges facing Nigerian football go beyond the senior national teams.

He pointed to the failure of both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons to qualify for their respective FIFA World Cups, while also noting that Nigeria’s age-grade teams and domestic clubs have struggled to maintain the standards previously associated with the country.

Odegbami said Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the World Cup represented an unprecedented low point in the country’s football history. He also expressed disappointment with the performance of the Super Falcons, who were unable to win the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations despite entering the tournament as defending African champions.

The former international further raised concerns about the financial state of the domestic league, arguing that the competition has struggled to generate sufficient revenue and that the situation indicates deeper structural problems within Nigerian football.

The crisis has also coincided with significant changes at the Nigeria Football Federation, with NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and several executive committee members resigning in August.

A joint FIFA and CAF delegation is currently working with the National Sports Commission on a roadmap aimed at reforming Nigerian football, while the NFF elections earlier scheduled for September 27 have been suspended.

Odegbami also criticised the condition of football infrastructure across the country, expressing disappointment over the decline of stadiums that once played major roles in Nigeria’s sporting history.

He specifically mentioned the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, which hosted matches during the 1980 and 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as the former Liberty Stadium, now known as Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, in Ibadan. Other facilities he referenced included Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna and UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

According to Odegbami, years of neglect have left several historic football facilities in poor condition, resulting in significant damage to what he described as part of Nigeria’s sporting heritage.

He also compared Nigeria’s situation with major sporting investments being made elsewhere on the continent. Senegal is set to host the Youth Olympic Games, while South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will stage the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Kenya is scheduled to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, while Morocco is expected to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.

Odegbami’s comments have added to the growing debate over the need for structural reforms, improved investment, stronger administration and the rehabilitation of football infrastructure in Nigeria.