Sowore Vows Nigeria Will Qualify for Every World Cup Under His Presidency

Omoyele Sowore, the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has promised to reposition Nigeria as a leading sports destination globally if he wins the presidency.

Sowore made the declaration on Saturday in Enugu after participating in the 2026 Enugu City International Marathon.

The AAC presidential candidate said Nigeria would not miss a single FIFA World Cup during his eight-year tenure, adding that his administration would give equal attention to other sporting disciplines and create the conditions necessary for athletes to succeed.

Sowore took part in the 10-kilometre race for the second consecutive time, saying his decision to return was influenced by his experience at the previous edition.

“Well, I came back because I was impressed with the first one and I have seen so far that the organisation is impressive,” he said.

He described road races as valuable platforms for encouraging healthy lifestyles, strengthening communities and engaging young people. He urged states across Nigeria to organise road races regularly.

Sowore also distinguished the Enugu event from a full marathon, noting that a 10-kilometre race does not qualify technically as a marathon. He explained that a full marathon is 42 kilometres, while a half marathon covers 21 kilometres.

The AAC candidate said investment in sports could improve the health of Nigerians, promote community development and strengthen the link between sporting activities and culture.

He further argued that the sports sector could become a major economic driver and help produce young Nigerians capable of representing the country globally.

“Most importantly, this is how to build young people to be global ambassadors of your country. There’s a big economy out there that is known as the sports economy.

“We call it the orange economy. It’s an economic model that, if well-developed, can bring more money than oil,” he said.

Using Brazil and Kenya as examples, Sowore said Nigeria had the population and talent needed to compete strongly in football, athletics and other sports.

“Nigeria has 200 million people. I don’t know why we are not beating Kenya in all the long-distance races,” he said.

He pledged that his administration would improve sports infrastructure and provide an enabling environment for athletes to develop and compete at the highest level.

“Nigeria will become a major sports hub for the world. It doesn’t matter which sports you are doing. I’m a swimmer too, by the way.

“I come from the Niger Delta region. I don’t know why we are not winning swimming medals. We have great runners,” he said.

Sowore also took aim at the country’s sports administration, especially football, saying Nigeria’s poor international performance was not a reflection of its available talent.

He blamed poor management and insufficient support for athletes for some of the opportunities Nigeria has lost in sports.

On the country’s failure to secure a World Cup ticket, Sowore said it was unacceptable and promised to make qualification a consistent achievement under his administration.

“We are supposed to be at the World Cup. If I’m president of Nigeria, we are not missing any World Cup for my eight years. I’ll make sure that happens.

“This is because we get the best and the most competent and we will provide the environment for sports to thrive in this country,” he said.

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