The Nigeria Football Federation has renewed the contract of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle following a high-level meeting with senior officials from the federation and the National Sports Commission in Abuja, Naija Footy reports.
This decision ends months of speculation regarding the Franco-Malian coach’s future. Chelle, who was initially set to stay until next year, had reportedly drawn interest from other African national teams and overseas clubs due to his commendable work with Nigeria.
As part of the new agreement, Chelle will take on additional responsibilities beyond managing the senior national team. The 47-year-old has been assigned to oversee Nigeria’s Under-23 squad, with the crucial task of leading them through the qualification process for the Olympic Games.
The updated contract also includes more favorable financial terms. Chelle will receive a significantly higher salary, and the NFF will now assume responsibility for funding his backroom staff, a shift from the previous arrangement where these expenses were covered by the head coach’s earnings.
Since assuming leadership of the Super Eagles in January 2025, Chelle has garnered widespread praise for bringing stability to the team and elevating its performance levels. Despite narrowly falling short of a stronger showing in World Cup qualifiers, he successfully led Nigeria to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, earning acclaim for the team’s efforts.
With his contract extension finalized, Chelle’s attention will now turn to the tasks ahead. He will focus on preparing the Super Eagles for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers while simultaneously building a solid foundation for the Under-23 team, as expectations grow around his long-term vision for Nigerian football.
