Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Ibrahim Gusau has confirmed that Eric Chelle will remain head coach of the Super Eagles, amid speculation linking him with other national team roles.
Chelle’s future had been the subject of debate following Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Although the Super Eagles did not reach the final, they were widely praised for their attacking football and ended the tournament as the highest-scoring team, with 14 goals in six matches.
In recent weeks, the 48-year-old had been linked with the Algeria and Tunisia national team jobs ahead of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations. However, no formal approach has been confirmed.
Speaking in a recent interview, Gusau made it clear that Chelle remains under contract and is expected to continue in his role.
“We still have a one-year contract with Eric and therefore whatever anyone will show on him, he has to wait until his contract expired,” Gusau said.
“We don’t want to bring some distraction on him because we quite well understand that he enjoys working with Nigeria.”
Gusau also questioned whether a move elsewhere would necessarily guarantee success for the coach.
“It’s not about because he has gotten the results with the Super Eagles. So, if he goes to the other team, despite the fact that they are going to give him more money, is he going to get the results?” he added.
The NFF president stressed that Chelle believes he can fulfil his professional ambitions with Nigeria, citing the quality of players available to him and the team’s potential in major tournaments.
“The key thing is that I know Coach Eric believes in the Super Eagles and he believes that he can achieve whatever he wants to achieve in his career,” Gusau said.
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Chelle took charge of the Super Eagles ahead of AFCON 2025 and quickly built a side noted for its attacking intent. Despite falling short of the title, Nigeria were regarded as one of the most entertaining teams at the tournament.
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With one year remaining on his contract, Chelle now appears set to lead Nigeria into the next phase of their preparations for upcoming international competitions.
