The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has confirmed that Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup now rest entirely on a legal appeal pending with world football’s governing body.
Dikko revealed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has formally submitted a protest to FIFA, alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players during the African play-off final—a match that ended Nigeria’s competitive route to the tournament.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Dikko explained that while Nigeria’s journey on the pitch is over, the legal challenge remains active.
“The World Cup is a closed chapter for us competitively, but the legal matter is still pending. The relevant independent bodies within FIFA will decide,” he said.
Despite the uncertainty, Dikko expressed optimism that the Super Eagles could still be reinstated for the intercontinental play-offs scheduled for March.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
