Former Nigeria head coach Sunday Oliseh has stated that the Super Eagles cannot afford to miss out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

After failing to book their ticket to the last edition of the Mundial, the three-time African champions began the qualifiers for the next edition on the backfoot after recording just three points in their opening four games.

Nigeria failed to beat Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, and lost to Benin Republic, leaving the Super Eagles in fifth position in Group C, only above Zimbabwe with two points.

The 2013 AFCON winners will need a remarkable turnaround in their remaining six matches in the qualifiers to give themselves any chance of qualifying for the global showpiece.

Oliseh, who coached the team for a short spell between 2015 and 2016, believes it would be a disaster for Nigeria to miss two consecutive World Cup tournaments.

“Africa could be represented by as many as 10 countries at the next World Cup, we’re at the risk of not being one of these countries and it will be a disaster if Nigeria do not qualify,” Oliseh told Supersport TV.

“I was at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for six weeks working on the FIFA Study Group and it was painful that Nigeria were not there.”