Former Super Falcons head coach Sam Okpodu has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to start preparations early for the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.
Reacting to the Super Eagles’ lackluster performances in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in an interview with jerseynumber12.com, Okpodu stressed that early planning will help Nigeria avoid a precarious situation when the next qualifiers commence in 2027.
Nigeria failed to secure an automatic ticket for the 2026 World Cup, finishing second in Group C behind South Africa, despite a 4-0 win over Benin Republic in their final match.
“The NFF should begin preparations for the next World Cup by giving home-based players a chance to compete for national team spots,” he said. “That’s the hard way, and the only way, to build a formidable team for the nation.”
Okpodu argued that relying heavily on foreign-based players limits the manager’s access and control, unlike home-based talents. He added that Nigeria should return to the football culture that produced legends like Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, Sunday Oliseh, Uduka Ugbade, and Friday Ekpo.
He further explained that with adequate preparation and a solid football structure, the national coach could select at least 28 top-quality players from a pool of 40-50 which would be have been invited to camp by 2028.
Looking ahead, Nigeria will face Gabon in one of the play-off semi-finals in Morocco this November. The Super Eagles will then meet the winner of Cameroon vs. Congo DR, with the play-off victor advancing to the intercontinental stage in March 2026 in Mexico.