BREAKING: NFF appoints Malian, Éric Chelle as Super Eagles head coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has named Éric Sékou Chelle, former coach of Mali’s national team, as the new head coach of the Super Eagles. Chelle becomes the third manager to helm the team since José Peseiro’s resignation in March 2024.

The NFF officially confirmed Chelle’s appointment on Tuesday, following President Ibrahim Gusau’s earlier hint of an imminent announcement.

“The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has endorsed the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the appointment of Mr. Éric Sékou Chelle as Head Coach of Nigeria’s senior men’s national football team, Super Eagles,” the NFF’s statement read.

Chelle’s first assignment will be managing the home-based Super Eagles at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in East Africa from February 1–28, where Nigeria will compete against 17 other nations. The NFF emphasized that the CHAN tournament will serve as a platform to identify domestic talents for integration into the senior national team.

NFF President Gusau stated:
“We want whoever takes charge of the team to begin immediately, which is why the same coach will manage the CHAN Eagles. This allows us to identify promising home-based players who can contribute to the senior national team.”

Chelle’s coaching history includes stints with GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, MC Oran, and the Mali national team, which he led to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. His strategic approach will now be pivotal in revitalizing the Super Eagles and leading them to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As part of his transition, Chelle will work with the current Super Eagles B coaching staff, which includes Daniel Ogunmodede, Fidelis Ilechukwu, and Olatunji Baruwa, who successfully guided the team through CHAN qualifiers.

Chelle’s tenure begins with a critical task of securing Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup, with the team currently sitting fifth in their group ahead of the next qualifiers in March.