Frank Christian
The chances of Nigeria making it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup are currently uncertain. After four winless matches in CAF Group C, including a recent 2-1 loss to Benin, the Super Eagles are facing a challenging road.
The team’s struggle extends to their past seven World Cup Qualifiers, dating back to November 2021 when they suffered a defeat to Ghana that ended their campaign. The future of the team’s management will likely hinge on their performance in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches before the World Cup qualification resumes in March 2025.
Possibility of Nigeria Qualifying for World Cup 2026
Despite their current position at fifth in Group C with three points, Nigeria still has a chance to qualify for the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They are within striking distance of second-place South Africa, trailing by only four points.
The Super Eagles have six remaining games where they can turn their fortunes around, with fixtures played home and away during the group stage. Winners of CAF’s nine groups secure automatic qualification, while the top four runners-up will enter the playoff phase.
Upcoming Matches for Nigeria
Nigeria will face Benin on September 7 in the AFCON qualifying match, providing them with an opportunity for redemption after their previous loss. In their subsequent fixture on March 17, they will confront Rwanda in the World Cup qualifiers at Stade Amahoro.
Nigeria’s Match Schedule
| Date | Competition | Match |
Qualification Slots for African Teams at 2026 World Cup
A total of nine African teams are guaranteed a place at the 2026 World Cup, with the potential for a tenth team to participate. Following the automatic progression of group winners in CAF qualification, the top four runners-up will engage in a playoff to determine the final entrant.
Representatives from each confederation, excluding UEFA, along with two from CONCACAF as the host federation, will compete in a six-team playoff. The playoff will involve seeding the two highest-ranked teams based on FIFA world rankings, leading to the selection of the last two World Cup qualifiers.
