Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick has hit back at South Africa’s Sports Minister, who recently made controversial remarks expressing hope that the Super Eagles fail to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Over the weekend, McKenzie, who was a guest on Robert Marawa’s Marawa Sports Worldwide, said that he hoped Nigeria would not advance to the 2026 World Cup through the playoffs that begin in Morocco next month.
According to McKenzie: “I want Nigeria to lose. They must not go to the World Cup. Another African country must go,” observed the minister in anger over his perception of Nigeria’s role in the deduction of three points from South Africa for fielding an ineligible player in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho in March.
Pinnick, visibly angered by the comment, described the minister’s statement as “petty, unprofessional, and unbecoming of a public official,” stressing that football should unite rather than divide nations.
In an interview with ThisDay on Sunday, Pinnick said that South African sports minister’s careless statement cannot stop Nigeria from qualifying form the 2026 World Cup.
He said, “If it is the wish of God that Nigeria should qualify for the World Cup, the South African sports minister’s careless statement cannot stop it from happening. It is unfortunate to have someone like McKenzie appointed a minister in a developed, civilized country like South Africa. I know several people in South Africa who are knowledgeable in football matters who will not speak with such hatred like McKenzie.
“For instance, SAFA President Dr. Danny Jordaan is a respected football voice worldwide who will not go that route of hate. Dr. Jordaan can never speak such a careless statement about wishing Nigeria bad. The CAF President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, who is my boss, is another fine gentleman, deeply rooted in continental and global football matters. These two gentlemen and several others know the consequences of fielding an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifier. The South African sports minister should just shut up instead of embarrassing the country with his careless, unfounded statements against Nigeria,” observed the former NFF president, who once served as CAF’s first vice president.
