Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Ibrahim Gusau has said there will be no immediate discussions over a new contract for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, despite the team’s impressive performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Speaking to Guardian journalist Osasu Obayiuwana on Monday, Gusau said the federation is sticking to the terms of the two-year contract Chelle signed in January 2025.
“There will be no contract extension discussion with Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles head coach, for now,” Gusau said.
“We signed a two-year deal with him in January 2025. He is only halfway through his contract. In the last six months of his current deal, we can start to look at things.”
Photo Credit: NSC
The comments come amid growing calls for Chelle to be rewarded following Nigeria’s strong AFCON campaign, which ended with a bronze medal finish.
Since taking charge, Chelle has led Nigeria in 17 competitive matches without defeat, winning 11 and drawing six. Under his leadership, the Super Eagles scored a record 14 goals at the Morocco AFCON and remained unbeaten in regulation time across all seven matches.
Nigeria’s run included strong performances against continental heavyweights Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Egypt, as well as victories over Tanzania and Uganda. The third-place finish in Casablanca marked Nigeria’s 17th podium appearance in 21 AFCON tournaments.
Gusau praised the coach’s early impact, saying Chelle has “shown enormous capacity” within his first year in charge. He added that preparations for the next AFCON, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will begin immediately in March.
Nigeria have won the Africa Cup of Nations three times in 1980, 1994 and 2013 scoring eight, nine and 11 goals respectively in those title-winning campaigns. The 14 goals scored in Morocco represent the highest total Nigeria have ever recorded at a single edition of the tournament.
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi had called for the NFF to give Chelle a new contract. Photo Credit: AFP
Gusau also addressed questions over why Super Eagles players did not receive their bronze medals at the stadium after the third-place match.
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According to Obayiuwana, the NFF president explained that players had to leave Morocco quickly to return to their clubs.
“The players could not wait to receive their medals on Sunday. Their clubs were already after them to come back after Saturday’s game. I have the medals in my possession,” Gusau said.
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He added that Nigeria were not the only team affected. “This is the case for Egypt too, not just us. Had the medal ceremony taken place on the day of the match, they would have had the medals,” he said.
