Former Chelsea star and Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi has urged the federal government to overhaul the leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), insisting the board should be removed if the national team fails to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Obi, in his ‘ObiOne Podcast’ alongside sports broadcaster Chris McHardy, called for the disbandment of the current NFF board over the Super Eagles’ recent poor performances, especially after the qualifier against Bafana Bafana on Tuesday.

The former Eagles’ captain warned that Nigeria risks missing the World Cup for a second time in a row, which would be unacceptable for “the biggest footballing country in Africa.”

“If we don’t make it to the World Cup, I just think the whole NFF board needs to go because it’s not acceptable,” Obi said. “A drastic change has to be made, and the government must get involved.”

While stressing that players must also take responsibility, Obi insisted they should not be blamed alone.

“The biggest problem, 100 per cent, is from the top,” he added. “But at the same time, proper support needs to be given to the players to make them feel comfortable.”

The Super Eagles managed a narrow win over Rwanda in Uyo but were held to a 1-1 draw in Freetown after captain William Troost-Ekong’s own goal handed South Africa a share of the points.

Nigeria now sits third in the group, alongside Benin, on 14 points, while South Africa leads with 17 points and edges closer to qualification.

With only two fixtures left, the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup dreams hang in the balance, increasing pressure on both the players and the leadership.