World Cup
2026 FIFA WORLD Cup: Guild of Sports Editors calls for NFF Board, Finidi resignation
Following the poor run of the Super Eagles in the 2026 World Cup qualifying series, the Guild of Sports Editors in Nigeria has asked the board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to be ready to resign Nigeria fail to make it to the finals.
It will be the first back-to-back miss of the World Cup by the Super Eagles since 1994.
Should the board also heed the call for resignation, it will be the second time ever that all members of the Nigerian football governing body will leave enmass. On 27 November 1964, all members of the then NFA resigned.
In a media release issued by the head of the guild, Tony Ubani, the body viewed with dismay the poor performance of the Super Eagles.
It added that it is unacceptable that Nigeria is struggling in fifth position in a group that comprises Lesotho, Rwanda, Benin Republic, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
According to the media release from the body which comprises all the managers of sports departments in the country’s major media organizations, the resolution was the product of its meeting on Tuesday.
The Guild said that although the situation in Group C looks irredeemable after four games, Nigeria could still qualify for the World Cup if the NFF puts its house in order.
In a communiqué signed by its president, Mr Tony Ubani, the Guild said: “We are shocked by the manner Nigeria’s bid to return to the World Cup after missing the 2022 edition is being mismanaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) through wrong and belated decisions and inability to set the rules for the national team.
“The NFF waited until just a month to the resumption of the qualifiers before naming a coach through a process flawed by many stakeholders because it did not follow due process.
“They kept quiet when some of the members of the new technical crew rejected their appointments; they have not shown leadership even when some of the players rejected invitation to the national team.
“Now is not the time to apportion blames, but the NFF must know that Nigerians cannot tolerate failure to qualify for the World Cup, especially now that Africa’s slot has been increased to nine countries.”
The Guild called for a complete overhaul of the NFF’s technical department, saying that the committee should contain only football persons with sound technical knowledge of the game.
“The technical department is supposed to be the engine room of the federation, which should direct what happens at the national teams. It is not a place for politically-correct individuals who know little or nothing about the game.”
The editors lamented that Nigeria could only secure three out of 12 available points after four matches to languish in fifth position in Group C, saying that such poor form could have been avoided if the relevant persons did their jobs properly.
To arrest the situation, the body urged the NFF to scout for more corporate support for the Super Eagles, saying that the federation should spread its net to generate the resources that would aid its preparations for the remaining matches in the qualifying series.
It added: “The NFF must change its priority and take the national teams as the first among its responsibilities. The practice of packing the country’s delegation to matches with states’ FA chairmen and nebulous stakeholders, who add nothing to the Super Eagles, must be stopped. Monies saved from estacodes that are paid to these ‘stakeholders’ should be used to address issues in the national team, including remuneration for assistant coaches.”
The body also urged the NFF to check the way players are invited to the national team, saying that most of the players in the current Super Eagles’ squad have no place in the team.
“Some of the players are no longer relevant in the Super Eagles; their cycle is done. The entire Super Eagles system needs an overhaul and those officials, who have nothing more to add to the team, should go.
“The NFF should also investigate the players’ attitude to these qualifiers to find out if their output is a form of protest. We say this because some players can do anything to sack the coach if they don’t like him.
“So going forward, the NFF must ensure that only players willing to serve the country are invited to the national teams. It is embarrassing to see players pulling out of national assignments. It suggests that the NFF did not do its homework before inviting such players to camp.
“The NFF must also ensure that going forward players do not stroll into camp two days before any match. There must be a timeline for players to join the camp and appropriate sanction for anybody that flouts that timeline.”
On the technical crew, the editors said that Coach Finidi George has failed to galvanise his players to serve the country to the best of their ability, adding that Skipper William Troost-Ekong, who was left out of the last two games, should be brought back to offer leadership to the squad.
Iran’s national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the U.S. the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.
Media reports over the weekend had quoted the Iranian ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, as saying that Iran’s team would have to enter and leave the U.S. the same day as they were playing, raising questions over logistics and whether it would affect team performance.
It was not the case that Iran would be forced to arrive the same day as their matches, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said.
“These statements are untrue,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Thanks to the generosity of President (Donald) Trump, the Iranian team will be able to arrive the day before their matches.”
The ambassador, speaking to Reuters in Tijuana via an interpreter on Monday, criticised U.S. officials for denying visas to some of the Iranian football federation staff but said that the ones that had been granted did not prevent them from staying overnight.
“Their visas don’t specify anything about them having to leave at a certain time,” he said.
After weeks of uncertainty, the U.S. awarded visas to all the players on Friday, just 10 days before their first match.
But several members of the Iranian squad were not given visas, including “key managerial and administrative members,” according to Iran’s football federation. They include the team manager, two team analysts, the media director and a representative of the Foreign Ministry, according to Iran’s embassy in Mexico.
Iran is due to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The players were originally slated to train in Arizona, but that was changed after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.
Trump said in March that Iran was welcome to participate in the World Cup but that he did not believe it was appropriate for Iran’s team to stay in the U.S. “for their own life and safety.”
-Reuters
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FIFA has expressed disappointment over the inability of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan to participate in the FIFA World Cup after United States immigration authorities denied him entry into the country.
The world football governing body confirmed on Monday that Artan, who had been selected among the match officials for the tournament, would be unable to join the World Cup refereeing team after efforts to resolve his immigration status proved unsuccessful.
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
The decision means Artan, who was poised to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup match, will miss the competition that kicks off on Thursday in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Sources familiar with the situation said FIFA had been in contact with relevant authorities after learning of the referee’s predicament but was ultimately informed that the decision would stand.
Artan arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and was denied entry after undergoing additional inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
In a statement, CBP said a Somali national was deemed inadmissible because of vetting concerns, though it did not disclose specific details.
The incident has left FIFA without one of Africa’s most respected referees. Artan’s stock has risen significantly in recent years, culminating in his recognition as the Confederation of African Football’s Best Male Referee for 2025.
Last month, he took charge of the second leg of the CAF Champions League final in Morocco, one of the continent’s most prestigious club fixtures.
Despite the setback, Artan struck a positive note in a statement released after the decision.
“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support, and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,” he said.
“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best of luck during the World Cup, and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”
The episode has drawn attention to immigration issues surrounding major international sporting events hosted by the United States. The Trump administration’s travel restrictions on citizens from several countries, including Somalia, had already prompted concerns among some stakeholders ahead of the tournament.
FIFA, however, reiterated that immigration matters remain the responsibility of national authorities and emphasized that it has no role in determining the admissibility of individuals entering host countries.
With the tournament set to begin this week, FIFA is expected to proceed with its officiating roster without Artan, while the Somali official turns his attention to future international assignments.
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England defender Djed Spence is set to take a page from Victor Osimhen’s playbook at the FIFA World Cup, revealing that he will wear a protective face mask throughout the tournament after suffering a broken jaw in the closing weeks of the Premier League season.
The Tottenham Hotspur defender joins a growing list of players who have continued competing while masked, most notably Nigeria’s star striker Victor Osimhen, whose black protective mask has become one of football’s most recognisable accessories since a serious facial injury suffered during his time at Napoli.
Spence sustained the injury in a collision with Chelsea forward Liam Delap last month but remains determined to play a full part in England’s World Cup campaign.
“It’s a little bit uncomfortable, but it is what it is,” Spence told reporters on Monday.
“I’ve got a broken jaw, so I have to wear it throughout the tournament. It’s something I will have to get used to. It’ll be three months until it’s fully healed, so it’s a long time.”
Like Osimhen, who returned to action wearing a mask after undergoing surgery for multiple facial fractures in 2021, Spence has shown little inclination to let the injury interrupt his football.
The defender even completed the match in which the injury occurred and later featured in Tottenham’s final league game against Everton while wearing the protective gear.
“It was painful, but luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw. So I was all good,” Spence added.
Osimhen’s mask has become synonymous with resilience and determination. Since adopting it, the Nigerian international has gone on to establish himself among Europe’s most feared strikers, helping Napoli win the Serie A title and becoming a symbol of perseverance in the face of adversity.
Spence now hopes the mask will similarly prove no obstacle as England pursue World Cup glory in North America.
England begin their campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17 before facing Ghana and Panama in the remaining Group D fixtures.
While Spence’s protective gear may not yet be as iconic as Osimhen’s, the England defender will be hoping it brings the same good fortune that has accompanied the Nigerian striker’s remarkable rise over the past few years.
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