BREAKING: Chelle gets new Eagles contract, handed Olympic Eagles job

Eric Chelle will continue as the head coach of Nigeria's senior national football team, the Super Eagles, and will also take charge of the U-23 team. Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, confirmed the agreement on a new contract following discussions between sports officials and the Nigeria Football Federation in Abuja.

Chelle's initial two-year contract was set to expire at the end of 2026. Negotiations for an improved deal have been ongoing. Following Nigeria's third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the Franco-Malian coach reportedly sought a monthly salary package of $130,000, along with terms for his assistants. Dikko indicated that the new agreement includes enhanced remuneration for Chelle and provisions for his backroom staff, expressing confidence that the coach would be pleased with the terms.

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We have reached new terms with the coach about his new remuneration. We are also going to take care of his assistants, and there are other benchmarks that we have put on the table, and I’m sure the coach will be very excited about it.

In addition to his senior team duties, Chelle has been entrusted with leading Nigeria's U-23 team as preparations commence for the men's football event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Dikko explained that this expanded role is intended to foster continuity between the U-23 squad and the Super Eagles, anticipating a transition of young talent into the senior team in the coming years.

This dual responsibility places added pressure on Chelle. The U-23 team, known as the Olympic Eagles, has missed the last two Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024). Similarly, the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in the two editions prior to securing a spot in the ongoing 2026 tournament. The objective is to build for the future by integrating the coaching structures and developing players within the same framework.

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With the NFF, we also agreed that the coach will take care of the U-23 national team because we have young players coming into the Super Eagles within that age bracket. So, Eric Chelle and his team, plus other people who will support them. The objective is not to give the coach more work but to start building for the future.