World Cup
To be or not to be? Nigerian veteran journalists pass verdict on Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification chances
BY TONY UBANI
VETERAN sports Journalists have expressed worry over the chances of the Super Eagles qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico. Their worry stems from the fact that the Super Eagles chances of qualifying is hanging on a thread.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, losing on away goals to Ghana in the play-offs. They are also dangerously placed second- to-last in their Group C with three points of a possible 12 points having played four of their five group opponents, leaving them six matches to determine their fate.
The Super Eagles must now win all six of their remaining games to guarantee themselves a chance to qualify for the World Cup but based on their previous performances, that is as wishful as thinking gets. It is time for the recriminations to begin as the once-feared giants of African football are now whimpering their way out of a place. We spoke to top sports Journalists on the chances of the Eagles, the actions and inactions of the NFF on appointing an unknown coach and the coming of the Presidential Support Group, PSG for the World Cup.
Why it may not be possible — Onochie Anibeze
To win the remaining six matches? It is possible but I have my fears. Miracles happen but I doubt if one will lead us to the next World Cup. The appointment of Chelle appears to have compounded issues but our problems didn’t start from that appointment. It took so long to appoint Finidi and when they did immediate actions were not taken to present a strong team in the two matches he played.
Finidi should have gone to Europe to meet the players and tell them individually about his philosophy and approach. He should have fired up the players. He should have known the team that he would present before the match based on his thoughts while monitoring the players in their various clubs. Coming to camp and testing players, assessing them three or four days before a big qualifier is poor planning. In qualifiers, a coach should always have a good picture of his team before assembling.
The training sessions before a match should centre on tactical execution of his game plan and not to start assessing his players to know who is fit or not. That should be known before assembling the players. It is only when you’re preparing for tournaments that you have about three or four weeks to train that you can have time to test players in camp. This leads me to the question of a technical back up team whose job is to advise the coach on technical and tactical matters.
It is usually left for the coach to consider or reject some or all the recommendations of the technical back up team. Was Finidi supported with a technical back-up team? They have such a structure in football nations but I don’t know why we have not emulated that. When Austin Eguavoen played goalless draw in Ghana for the Qatar World Cup and made up to five changes in the second leg he committed a big blunder considering the weather factor in sports.
The boys who played in Accra would have adapted better to the heat of Abuja. He needed tactical change and maybe one or two players and not five. Was there any technical back-up team to guide Eguavoen? No. Will Chelle have one? I don’t know. The biggest problem Nigeria has is that those around the national team lack knowledge of modern football and that’s why I doubt we will be in the next World Cup in spite of the fact that after the USA ‘94 and France ‘98 squads we have never had it so good with the quality of our individual players we have now. Making them a collective unit has always been the problem. I don’t see that changing overnight with Chelle. I pray it turns out otherwise.
The odds are against us — Dr Mumini Alao
AS things stand in our World Cup group, qualification is out of our hands because, even if we win our six remaining matches, still we need some other results to be in our favour. To be candid, the odds are against us. Having said that, nothing is impossible in football, so we can’t write our chances off pre- maturely. Despite the odds, we must remain positive and believe that we can qualify, then work hard towards achieving the objective.
A Presidential Support Group is not a bad idea. A similar group was set up before we qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But the truth is that our fate lies at the feet of our players. The Support Group will probably provide additional motivation for the team in terms of rewards. But the players have to do the business on the pitch. Our players must be ready to fight for the World Cup ticket.
Other countries on the continent have improved tremendously. They do not fear the Super Eagles any more. If Nigeria desires to go to the next World Cup, our players have to fight very hard for it.
Deliberately, I have not mentioned the officials of the Football Federation nor the coach. Yes, the officials and the coach have roles to play, but the primary actors are the players. It is their attitude and determination, or a lack of it, that will determine the out- come of our qualifying campaign.
Why do we need to qualify for the World Cup? — Ikeddy Isiguzo
Why do we need to qualify for the World Cup? Who would be the people to qualify Nigeria for the World Cup? This NFF, which is as illegal as the so-called National Sports Commission, which it permanently wrestles with for control of football?
You mean you do not know the purpose of the Presidential Support Group, PSG? How does PSG qualify a country for the World Cup?I thought they just hired a foreign coach? Are you no longer confident that he would qualify the team? PSG can also mean Prayer Support Group. Or don’t we need prayers?
We’re in a cliff-hanging situation — Dr Mitchel Obi
The dream is to always qualify for the World Cup. It is not new. It has always been a dream. We have the players who can do this. We first qualified for the World Cup in 1994. Going to the World Cup is not a novelty. It seems our World Cup campaign has been compromised. We’re behind a group of three leaders. If you beat one, you still look aside to see if others are coming. We’re in a cliff-hanging situation. But we can’t afford to falter.
I’m befuddled why Nigerians will decide to back a foreigner or give him support. Why do we take a risk with one who has nothing to lose?
The support would have been super if it were to be an indigenous coach. If we qualify, we celebrate and know we did this together. And if we fail, we rue the pain together. With this man, he has nothing to lose. Anyway, it’s a hard road to travel. With African games, you can never be sure of any game. We’re in a game and have to behave like gamblers.
The big question is, can we be sure of our home games? The first game is an away game to Rwanda in March. “Beware The Ides of March”.
We have to show seriousness and take care of the players. Their bonuses should be paid at once.
We’re entering the month of love and should show them love. After that, we enter the month of March where we hope to keep marching on.
I don’t have the third eye. Six is not an easy number to overcome. Who do you chase? The big question is can we be totally galvanised?
Experience over time has shown that there could be banana peels on the way. We have to be optimistic. There’s a flicker of hope. If we fail, we can go through the backdoor. The play-off. That is if we finish second in our group.
After all, we love celebrating the second position and giving them national awards. The truth is that after the first two games, our hearts can see clearly.
If we don’t qualify, someone must be held accountable — Sani Zaria
What we ought to have been talking by now is teams to accompany Nigeria in world show piece even with just four matches played so far.
But because of the class character of the Nigerian state and the inept football administrative system we are now subjected to serious academic gymnastics trying to find out whether Nigeria will qualify for the World Cup or not. And in between Nigeria and the qualification are Benin, Rwanda, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa whose pedigree cannot match Nigeria’s in football.
Coming to specifics, we have six matches to play and the only sure guarantee for qualification is to win them all.
But can we? Yes we can. And we don’t have to win all. Only four points separate Nigeria and group leaders Rwanda.
We have the best African players in Europe and that personality may work for us in the end. We shall be there. But if for any reason we are not, then someone must be held accountable.
Difficult for Nigeria to qualify, but it is not impossible — Kunle Solaja
As of today, Monday 27 January, it is exactly 500 days to the kick-off of the 2026 World Cup.
It certainly looks difficult for Nigeria to qualify, but it is not impossible. The sure way of getting a direct qualification is for the Super Eagles to win their remaining six matches.
It looks herculean, but the mountain is surmountable.Winning the remaining six matches translates to each of the other teams losing a match to Nigeria.
Nigeria could not have wished for a better group when the draw was made. In the FIFA ranking, none of the five teams in Group C of the qualifying series move near Nigeria. But a simple arithmetic has turned into a Greek Puzzle.
The NFF takes responsibility as they allowed the Super Eagles camp in Nigeria to be turned into a holiday resort as all sorts of social media content providers, invade the camps and ask irrelevant questions from the players.
Can you imagine seeing such people in Argentina or England camp?
The camp is so relaxed that players lose focus and concentration. Such would not have happened at their clubs in Europe.
For any dream of qualification for the World Cup, the orientation of the players has to change.
With the array of players that the team parades, the Super Eagles should not just be a serial winner, but a high-scoring side.
Save for the mauling of Sao Tome & Principe in the qualifiers for the AFCON 2023, the 2-0 defeat of Cameroon and the 3-0 against Benin last September, when last has the team won a match by more than a goal margin since 2022?
Going into the remaining matches of the World Cup qualifiers, if Nigeria can take the full points in the two encounters with Rwanda, the Super Eagles will climb up the ladder and surmount the current group leaders.
The two matches in March are crucial. Win away against Rwanda and do the same against Zimbabwe at home.
Goal-scoring is crucial as it might end up as the eventual tiebreaker in the group. So far, the team has not scored more than a goal in any match of the series and is currently in goal deficit.
If Nigeria take revenge against Rwanda for the home defeat inflicted on the Super Eagles on the last game for the AFCON 2025, that will be the beginning of the turning around.
Where direct qualification as group leader becomes impossible, the Super Eagles should at least place second with high points to rank among the four best runners-up in the nine groups and proceed to the lengthy playoff series.
–Vanguard
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By KUNLE SOLAJA.
Hypertensive football fans are advised to be on sedative on Tuesday as the Group C World Cup qualifiers reaches a crescendo. It is not a moment for the faint-hearted.
It is a battle on two fields and all three combatants having just one dream.
Mathematics, momentum and madness, perhaps best describe the three-way battle that defines Africa’s toughest World Cup qualifying group.
The battle for the Group C ticket has been thrown wide open, with Benin Republic, South Africa, and Nigeria all heading into Tuesday’s final round of matches still in contention.
Friday’s dramatic results ensured that the group—already touted as one of Africa’s toughest—will go right down to the wire.
Benin Republic now lead the standings with a slender two-point cushion following a remarkable late surge in form, capped by a crucial 1–0 away win over Rwanda in Kigali.
That victory not only put the Cheetahs in control of the group but also pushed Rwanda out of mathematical contention for a World Cup place.
In Durban, however, South Africa faltered when it mattered most. Bafana Bafana were held to a goalless draw by a spirited Zimbabwe side in a match that could have sealed their qualification.
The stalemate left South Africa in second place, two points behind Benin, and needing both a win in their final fixture and a favourable result elsewhere to reach the World Cup for the first time since hosting it in 2010.
Nigeria, meanwhile, reignited their fading hopes with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane.
The Super Eagles, who have endured a turbulent qualifying campaign, now sit third in the group and face the most complex route to qualification.
Mathematics of the Final Day
The permutations are delicately poised heading into Tuesday’s decisive fixtures:
- Benin Republic (18 points) have the clearest path—they need only to beat Nigeria to secure a historic first-ever World Cup appearance. A win guarantees them an unassailable 20 points, regardless of results elsewhere.
- South Africa (15 points) must defeat Rwanda in Johannesburg and hope Nigeria beat Benin. A draw in the Benin–Nigeria clash would end their hopes.
- Nigeria (15 points) must not only beat Benin in Uyo, but do so by at least a two-goal margin to overcome the Cheetahs’ superior points and goal-difference advantage. They will also need Rwanda to hold or defeat South Africa to stand any realistic chance of finishing top.
A Group of Fine Margins
Group C has proven to be a cauldron of unpredictability. Every point has come at a premium, with unexpected upsets and narrow scorelines defining the campaign.
Benin, once underdogs, have emerged as the surprise package, while traditional powerhouse Nigeria have struggled for consistency and cutting edge.
South Africa, too, have mixed moments of brilliance with bouts of frustration—symbolised by their failure to break down Zimbabwe at home.
The Stakes and the Sentiment
For Benin, Tuesday could be the most important football day in the nation’s history. For South Africa, it is a chance to return to the world stage after 16 years in the wilderness.
And for Nigeria, a footballing giant now on the brink, it is a test of resilience, pride, and calculation.
As the nine African qualifying groups reach their climax, none promises more drama than Group C—a group where one slip, one goal, or even one missed chance could determine who marches to the world’s biggest football stage and who watches from home.
Current Table Ahead Tuesday’s Showdown
Position Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Benin 9 5 2 2 12 7 +5 17 2 South Africa 9 4 3 2 12 9 +3 15 3 Nigeria 9 3 5 1 11 8 +3 14 4 Rwanda 9 3 2 4 5 6 -1 11 5 Lesotho 9 2 3 4 8 12 -4 9 6 Zimbabwe 8 0 5 4 5 11 -6 5
FINAL DAY FIXTURES
(Monday, October 13)
- Lesotho v Zimbabwe
(Tuesday, October 15)
- South Africa vs Rwanda
- Nigeria vs Benin
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Riyad Mahrez ruled out extending his international career into his forties like Cristiano Ronaldo, declaring the 2026 World Cup will be his last after guiding Algeria to a fifth appearance at the tournament.
The 34-year-old winger, who plays for Al-Ahli – the reigning Asian champions – scored once and assisted twice in Algeria’s 3-0 win over Somalia in the penultimate round of African qualifying, securing top spot in Group G and a place at next year’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“This will be my last World Cup. I’m not Ronaldo (40),” Mahrez told Algerian media.
“I’ll give everything I have to represent Algeria in the best possible way.”
Mahrez, who turns 35 in February, now has 33 goals in 106 international appearances. He praised his teammates, coach, and fans for their support, saying the team “dominated from start to finish” and that the focus now shifts to the Africa Cup of Nations.
“I thank God for this important win,” he said. “I’m happy to have helped with two assists, but the most important thing is that we’ve officially qualified.”
Algeria have now qualified for the World Cup for the fifth time following appearances in 1982, 1986, 2010 and 2014. Their best performance came in 2014 in Brazil, where they reached the round of 16 for the first time before falling to eventual champions Germany in extra time.
-Reuters
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An avalanche of goals for the Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal on Friday put both teams on the brink of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which they can secure with home success in their last group matches next week.
African champions Cote d’Ivoire beat the Seychelles 7-0 away to stay one point ahead of Gabon in the Group F standings and they will qualify if they win their final game at home to Kenya on Tuesday.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored all four goals for Gabon, before being sent off, as they came from behind to beat the Gambia 4-3 in a thrill-a-minute affair in Nairobi that kept alive their hopes.
Senegal maintained their two-point advantage in Group B over the Democratic Republic of Congo as they beat South Sudan 5-0, while the Congolese recorded a 1-0 triumph in Togo. Senegal will qualify for a third successive World Cup if they beat neighbours Mauritania at home on Tuesday.
In Friday’s later matches, Aiyegun Tosin scored late to put Benin two points clear in Group C with a 1-0 victory in Rwanda.
Benin have 17 points while South Africa, who drew 0-0 with neighbours Zimbabwe, sit on 15.
Nigeria moved back into contention with 14 points following a 2-1 away victory over Lesotho with a penalty from captain William Troost-Ekong and a late effort from substitute Akor Adams.
The group will be decided on Tuesday when Benin go away to Nigeria and South Africa host Rwanda.
Ismaila Sarr gave Senegal a 29th-minute lead as Iliman Ndiaye delivered a cross to the back post from the right flank and the Everton winger was also the provider for Sadio Mane to score early in the second half.
Sarr then scored his second goal while Nicolas Jackson and Pape Cherif Ndiaye also found the net.
Cedric Bakambu broke away after an interception in the seventh minute to win the game for DR Congo in Lome, moving them to 19 points, two behind Senegal.
IVORIAN OPENED SCORING WITH GIFT PENALTY
The Ivorians were always expected to run riot against the Seychelles, who are 203rd out of 210 countries in the FIFA rankings, but were handed a gift of a penalty after six minutes, which Ibrahim Sangare converted to get things going.
After that followed goals for Emmanuel Agbadou, Oumar Diakite and Evann Guessand before halftime, and Yan Diomande, Simon Adingra and Franck Kessie after the break.
The 36-year-old Aubameyang kept alive Gabon’s hopes in a remarkable individual performance with two goals in each half before a needless red card late in the game.
He was booked for breaking the corner flag as he kicked it in celebration and then collected a second caution for a petulant shove on an opponent that means he is suspended for their last game at home to Burundi on Tuesday.
Already qualified Tunisia had a 6-0 win over minnows Sao Tome e Principe in Group H with two goals each for Mohamed Ali Ben Romndhane and Elias Saad.
The final round of African group qualifiers start on Sunday and conclude on Tuesday
-Reuters
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