Bafana Bafana’s next opponents, Nigeria have named a new coach ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier that is slated for June. The Super Eagles have named Finidi George as the new coach replacing Jose Peseiro who held the position on an interim basis. Nigeria is set to welcome Bafana Bafana in June as the two African nations look to qualify for the global showpiece. The Nigerian Football Federation confirmed the developments on Monday.
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Gearing Up to Meet Bafana: Who is Nigeria’s New Coach
Looking at his past and previous coaching roles, George is a former UEFA Champions League winner with Ajax Amsterdam during his playing days. He was already in charge as interim coach after Peseiro left his position with a silver medal at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Under George, Nigeria, who were also linked with Pitso Mosimane, beat Ghana 2-1 but lost 2-0 to Mali during the previous international window.
On Monday, the NFF announced George’s appointment as head coach as they look to beat Bafana in an eagerly anticipated encounter. “The Board of Nigeria Football Federation on Monday approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to appoint former ace winger Finidi George as Head Coach of the Senior Men National Football Team, Super Eagles,” the NFF stated.
George won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations as player and represented Nigeria 45 times and his maiden game as head coach will be the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Hugo Broos’ Bafana.
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Remaining with the West Africans, after Peseiro’s departure, the NFF advertised the position and received multiple applications and by last week, the choice had narrowed down to George and his former international teammate Emmanuel Amunike. According to a source close to ESPN, the choice of Finidi was not a hard one to make.
“We knew he had been with the team for a while, he understands the team and the players and it would have been foolish to bring someone from outside with no time to prepare them for the qualifiers,” the source said.
“Finidi has proven himself with Enyimba and he knows our local league inside out, so he should be able to see good players to invite to the Super Eagles.”
A member of Nigeria’s famed Class of 1994, the 52-year-old made his debut for Nigeria in 1991, scoring against Burkina Faso, the new coach went on to make 62 appearances for Nigeria, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and scoring the goal in a 1-1 draw against Algeria that sealed the side’s qualification for their first ever FIFA World Cup in the same year.
He also featured at the 1998 World Cup and won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the 1992, 1994, 2000, and 2002 AFCON tournaments.
The NFF’s director of communications Ademola Olajire added: “George’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin in Uyo and Abidjan respectively, in a little over five weeks. The matches are must-win encounters, with the Super Eagles lagging in third place in Group C of the African campaign behind Rwanda and South Africa.”
While it is as yet unclear if the new coach will keep his job with Enyimba, or if he will appoint his assistants, the former Real Betis and Ipswich winger takes over a team struggling to score goals despite being blessed with a generational embarrassment of riches upfront.
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