Witchcraft on the pitch? Nigeria coach blames ‘black magic’ for World Cup exit

Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup hopes ended with a penalty shootout loss to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a decisive playoff on neutral ground in Morocco. The Super Eagles were eliminated, missing a chance to advance to the intercontinental playoffs.

Magic in the play

After the match, Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, became involved in a confrontation with members of DR Congo’s coaching staff and had to be separated by officials.

During his post-match news conference, The New York Times reported that Chelle questioned why journalists had not asked about the dispute. He alleged in French that DR Congo’s players engaged in «maraboutage,» a term for practices associated with marabouts in North Africa and often used to describe Maghreb folk magic. In the mixed zone afterward, he repeated the allegation in English, claiming the opposing players used voodoo during the penalty kicks.

Chelle’s background

Chelle, 48, who has French and Malian citizenship, became Nigeria’s head coach in January 2025 for the current qualifying cycle. A former defender, he played in France’s lower divisions from 1998 to 2014 with Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres, and Niort, and earned five caps for Mali.

Tournament context

The 2026 World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19 in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, featuring 48 teams. The final draw is scheduled for Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

Qualified African nations include Algeria, Ghana, Egypt, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, and South Africa.