The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that Eric Chelle will remain the head coach of the Super Eagles following the conclusion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The NFF had set a high target for Chelle’s team, aiming for the final and ultimately winning the tournament. However, Nigeria fell short of this goal after being defeated by host nation Morocco in the semi-final, eventually securing the bronze medal.
Despite missing the main objective and failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Nigerians praised Chelle for his leadership and the team’s overall performance. Many supporters have called for the coach to continue leading the national team.
In a statement released on the federation’s official website after the bronze medal match, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau acknowledged that winning the AFCON trophy was the target. He added that the federation accepted the bronze medal due to the team’s commendable display throughout the tournament.
Gusau described Chelle as a captain to be proud of and confirmed that the NFF will continue to support the coach and the Super Eagles moving forward.
During the post-match press conference following the win over Egypt, Chelle hinted that continuing as head coach would have been difficult if Nigeria had lost the third-place playoff. Still, he expressed his desire to stay on and build on the team’s performance if the NFF agrees.
“We will build on this experience, and it will be the foundation for the next phase of work,” he said.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Chelle has received a lucrative offer to coach the Tunisian national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
