Shorunmu warns NFF: “begin AFCON 2025 preparations now” after World Cup failure

By Dayo Awoniyi

Former Nigeria goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to immediately begin preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, warning that the disappointment of missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup must quickly give way to urgent planning and structural reform.

Nigeria’s failure to reach the World Cup—sealed by a 4–3 penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo after a tense 1–1 draw in Rabat—marks the second consecutive time the nation will miss football’s biggest tournament.

Speaking to Footy Africa, Shorunmu said the setback should serve as a clear turning point for Nigerian football.

“What has happened is gone now. We must think ahead and come up with a solid plan for the Africa Cup of Nations,” he said. “The tournament is very close, and early preparation is the only way to get things right.”

Shorunmu acknowledged the frustration felt by both players and supporters, pointing to organisational lapses and a “sloppy” build-up that contributed to Nigeria’s collapse at the decisive stage.

Nigeria’s road to the playoffs was overshadowed by off-field tensions, including a temporary training boycott over unpaid allowances before the semi-final clash with Gabon—an incident that reignited long-standing criticism of the NFF’s administrative shortcomings.

Although the Eagles recovered to beat Gabon 4–1, the turmoil cast a shadow over the team ahead of the decisive duel with DR Congo.

On the pitch, Nigeria had made a promising start when Frank Onyeka struck in the third minute, only for Elia Meschack to level before the Super Eagles lost in the shootout following missed attempts by Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon, and Semi Ajayi.

With AFCON 2025 the next major challenge, Shorunmu insisted that the federation must restore stability, professionalism, and belief within the team.

Nigeria will play their group matches at the Fez Stadium, opening against Tanzania on December 23 before facing Tunisia on December 27 and Uganda on December 30.

“The players know how Nigerians feel. They will want to make amends,” Shorunmu said. “But we must prepare properly—starting now.”

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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