Nigeria’s CHAN hopes ended with a 4-0 defeat to Sudan, exposing deeper issues in local football.
The loss highlights years of neglect, poor league management, and lack of investment in homegrown talent.
Nigeria’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaign ended in humiliation on Tuesday after a crushing 4-0 loss to Sudan in their second Group D match.
The home-based Super Eagles thought they had taken an early advantage when Anthony Ijoma found the net in the 22nd minute, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Sudan capitalized almost immediately, scoring in the 25th minute, before doubling their lead from the penalty spot just before halftime.
The second half brought no respite. Sudan struck again in the 55th minute and sealed the rout with a fourth goal seven minutes later. With two defeats and zero points, Nigeria sits bottom of the group and is mathematically out, even with a game against Congo still to play.
While the scoreline is embarrassing, the real shame lies in the deeper problems that this result has once again exposed. The CHAN tournament, designed for players active in domestic leagues, is a brutal mirror for Nigerian football. Our poor showing was not just about missed chances on the pitch; it was about years of neglect off it.
For too long, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has leaned heavily on foreign-based players for the main Super Eagles squad, abandoning the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) to rot. Once, our league produced legends like Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu. Today, it struggles with poor stadium facilities, zero television coverage, inadequate player welfare, and no coherent talent retention strategy.
In fact, several of our best home-based players left for overseas contracts just before CHAN began, a telling sign of how little priority the NPFL places on competitions meant to showcase local talent.
Instead of scapegoating the players who took to the field, Nigerians should be asking why the NFF and NPFL continue to mismanage and underfund the league. Without structural reforms, proper investment, and transparent governance, the NPFL will remain incapable of producing competitive squads for tournaments like CHAN.
It is ironic that many Nigerian fans invest passion and money in supporting Chelsea, Manchester United, and other European clubs while ignoring the decay in our own backyard. Until we value our league, demand accountability from football administrators, and create a professional environment for local players to thrive, results like this will continue to be our reality.
