Nigeria Football Federation appoints ex-Mali handler to spearhead Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualification bid
NFF hasn’t confirmed press release that named Eric Chelle as new Super Eagles head coach after the resignation of Finidi George.
The NFF confirmed the appointment and said that its Executive Committee had adopted the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to give Chelle the job.
The former Mali international, 47, arrives with a fairly low-key managerial CV. He had five international appearances for Mali and played 345 club matches in the French lower divisions before retiring in 2014. He moved immediately into coaching, organizing clubs including GS Consolat, FC Martigues and Boulogne before taking control in 2022 of Mali’s national outfit.
Mali advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 AFCON with his guidance, where they fell to eventual champions Ivory Coast. But he was sacked in 2024 after Mali struggled in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Chelle’s priority now is resuscitating Nigeria’s qualification hopes, the team yet to win a match after four games. His first major task comes in March 2025, when Nigeria takes on group leaders Rwanda and Mozambique.
