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No Nigerian Selected as FIFA Unveils TSG for 2026 World Cup
Duro Ikhazuagbe
For the first time in three senior men’s World Cups, FIFA unveiled a new Technical Study Group (TSG) without a Nigerian coach involved.
The 10-member group will provide cutting-edge analysis of all matches at the 2026 World Cup to be jointly hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico. The main aim of the group since inception is to increase and develop the understanding of the game across the world.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. They were also absent from the last edition in Qatar in 2022.
At the 2018 edition hosted by Russia, Nigeria had ex international, Emmanuel Amuneke, amongst the experts that provided insight into the competition even as the Super Eagles crashed out in the group stage.
Nigeria lost 0-2 to Croatia, defeated Iceland by same 2-0 margin and narrowly lost 1-2 to Argentina to end their campaign in the 2018 edition.
In 2022, despite the absence of the Super Eagles, another ex international, Sunday Oliseh, was selected amongst the experts that also provided technical details of the tournament. Oliseh was very conspicuous in the TSG and was reporters’ delight to speak with.
In the Under-20 World Cup in Malaysia, late Adegboye Onigbinde was selected amongst the team and for several years was in the CAF team for a number of AFCON tournament. He was a respected voice on technical matters until he passed on few months ago.
For the 2026 World Cup, members of the TSG selected with the advise of FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, include; Otto Addo (Ghana), Tobin Heath (USA), Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany), Jayne Ludlow (Wales), Michael O’Neill (Northern Ireland) and Gilberto Silva (Brazil).
Jon Dahl Tomasson (Denmark), Paulo Wanchope (Costa Rica), Aron Winter (Netherlands) and Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina) complete the list of experts for the Mundial in North America.
FIFA confirmed yesterday that the panel will be led by FIFA Senior Football Expert, Pascal Zuberbühler and Lead of Football Performance Insights (FPI) Tom Gardner and supported by a team of football analysts, data engineers, data scientists and performance analysts based on-site in Miami and Dallas and off-site in Manchester (United Kingdom).
The TSG will analyse all 104 matches at this year’s FIFA World Cup from a unique tactical position at the stadium or their dedicated performance suite in Miami. Either way, they will have access to six video angles and thousands of data points live during each match. The players crowned in the tournament awards will also be selected by the TSG members.
During the tournament, FIFA will share the most modern metrics and performance data in FIFA World Cup™ history with the worldwide TV and online audience, as well as with the participating teams and their players.
Developed by FIFA’s FPI team and Mr Wenger, the Enhanced Football Intelligence service will offer new and exciting insights to enrich the coverage and analysis of every game at the tournament through a unique set of both in- and post-match visuals presented as augmented reality and traditional graphics.
