Super Eagles: Why Eric Chelle met NSC Chairman behind closed doors

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has attracted interest from national teams such as Tunisia and Algeria after Nigeria’s showing at the 2025 AFCON….

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has held a closed-door meeting with the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, Soccernet.ng reports.

This follows growing discussions about his future with the Nigerian national team amid interest from national teams such as Algeria.

The meeting, per Footy Africa, which took place on Tuesday at the NSC office in Abuja, has fueled speculation about a possible contract extension for the Malian tactician, whose current deal with the Nigeria Football Federation runs until early 2027.

Eric Chelle's contract extension on NSC’s 2026 agenda

Earlier, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, confirmed that renewing Chelle’s contract is already part of the commission’s plans for 2026.

Speaking to Footy-Africa on Sunday, Olopade made it clear that the Super Eagles coach remains a key figure in the federation’s long-term vision.

“We have a list of many things we want to achieve in 2026, and extending Chelle’s contract is also on that list. He’s not going anywhere because he’s happy here,” Olopade told Footy-Africa.

Chelle, who signed a two-year deal in January 2025, is understood to be halfway through his contract, with no official renewal announced yet.

However, the NSC’s public stance suggests continuity is being prioritised despite recent reports linking him with interest from other national teams.

Super Eagles: What was discussed behind closed doors

According to Footy-Africa, Chelle and members of his entourage were present at the NSC headquarters for the closed-door talks with Dikko, with a new contract believed to be one of the main issues on the table.

Although details of the meeting were not made public, Soccernet.ng understands that the discussion was centred on Chelle’s future with the Super Eagles and the commission’s desire to maintain stability in the team’s technical setup.

While no final decision has been announced, the meeting points to a contract extension for the Super Eagles boss.