How about we build on last night’s victory by using it as a launchpad to bid for the hosting of the 2038 World Cup in a joint venture with Ghana and Ivory Coast

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Nigeria is currently in a festive mood following our 4-0 victory over Benin Republic last night. It has provided our Super Eagles with a lifeline as they can now qualify for the 2026 World Cup. All they have to do now is win two play-offs against Gabon and then Cameroon/DR Congo and then emerge victorious in a continental playoff in Mexico next year. Not yet uhuru but very doable and we are the highest ranked team in the play-offs, so I for one am highly optimistic

[2] Kenneth Kaunda once said: “Sports is power.” What he meant was that success in sports has the opportunity to open up openings for the betterment of society. Nigeria needs to start understanding this and leveraging on the fanatical sports following we have in the country

[3] Having seen how World Cup tournaments provide host nations with a big boost, one cannot deny the power of hosting global sporting tournaments. I can see every World Cup host attracting a lot of investors and tourists after holding successful tournaments

[4] Nigeria last had a big boost like that in 1977 when we hosted Festac. Everyone wanted to be associated with Nigeria and every known black American traced their roots back to Nigeria. We failed to build on the openings Festac 77 provided us with. Fifa has not launched the budding for the 1938 World Cup. Let us take the bull by the horn and launch an audacious Ecowas bid along with maybe Ghana and Ivory Coast

[5] For me, sports minister Ayodele Olawande needs to launching two campaigns: “Winning the World Cup during my tenure" and "Hosting the World Cup Within a Decade."

[6] Our Super Eagles have been on the verge of achieving greatness for about two decades now but at no stage have they really shown that they are set to join the elite band of sides that have won the World Cup before. We may dazzle, flatter to deceive and now and again come up with brilliant results but are nowhere near as good as the likes of Brazil, Germany, Italy, France, Holland, Argentina or Spain

[7] In 2026, we have to make a stand and say enough of this “nearly business.” We saw it with the Super Falcons during the last Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia. Nigeria would have won that tournament. We should now aim to lift the World Cup at North America 2026

[8] Nigeria needs to use hosting the World Cup to attract investors to develop our cities. Fifa insists that all host cities must be accessible by road, rail and air, so Nigeria will be looking to significantly expand the infrastructure in about 10 of her cities

[9] In addition, it is also time to deliver on the pitch with our own unique brand of football and start selling it as a global brand. Brazil plays Samba Football, the Dutch gave us Total Football and Spain gave us Tika-Taka. I believe it is time for Palm Wine Football to make its way up there with them. Nigerian football is based on pace, quick counter-attacks, physicality and athleticism and it is now time to turn this into a global brand

[10] Back in the 1990s when the likes of Okocha, Kanu, Findi, Taribo, Amokachi, Oliseh, et al wooed the world, it was common to see our green-white-green jerseys being worn by Europeans. Such mass sales will fund our football development. We thus need an appealing kit that fans will be happy to go out and purchase. Personally, I would go for a unique green version of Croatia's jersey. Make it our iconic kit and sell millions worldwide

ayoakinfe@gmail.com