March 08, (THEWILL)- The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has announced that applications for the role of the national team’s head coach are now open, following Jose Peseiro’s resignation. This move comes ahead of crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where the Super Eagles will be seeking new technical inputs to guide them through the campaign.
Peseiro’s departure occurred after he led Nigeria to the final of the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations, where they narrowly lost 2-1 to the hosts, Ivory Coast. Despite meeting the target of reaching the semi-finals, the 63-year-old Portuguese tactician opted to part ways with the NFF due to reported negotiations involving salary disagreements.
The NFF has set a deadline of March 12 for interested candidates to submit their applications. Among the potential contenders, former Tanzania coach Emmanuel Amuneke has been widely speculated as a frontrunner for the vacant position, having previously assisted Samson Siasia and Augustine Eguavoen with the Nigerian national team.
The new head coach will face the immediate challenge of leading Nigeria in two pivotal 2026 World Cup qualifiers scheduled for June. The Super Eagles will host South Africa at home before embarking on an away fixture against neighbouring Benin, as they aim to secure qualification for the prestigious tournament in North America.
Nigeria currently finds itself in third place in their World Cup qualifying group, with two points from two matches. Rwanda leads the group with four points, while South Africa occupies second place with three points. Lesotho and Zimbabwe complete the group, with the overall winner gaining automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
