The Super Eagles expect to rise to nine points and be fully back into contention for a 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket after Tuesday’s African Qualification Series Matchday 6 encounter against the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.  

Team captain William Ekong reiterated on Monday afternoon that the three-time African champions will seek to control the game the way they did the encounter with Rwanda in Kigali on Friday, and then work hard to get the goals that will give them the three points and fully establish them as one of the contenders for the ticket.

“We are looking forward to a win. The three points are important to us. At this stage, we cannot afford to drop any more points. Our aim is to take it one match at a time, collect three points here and there and hope fervently that these will be enough to get us the ticket.”

Without a win in their first four games of the series, Nigeria languished in fifth place in the six-team group C and remained in a perilous situation, until Friday’s robust win over Rwanda in Kigali threw them up as a proposition for the ticket to the finals.

Nigeria, with six points, moved up to fourth position, while Zimbabwe, on three, prop up the table, and will seek to increase their haul in Tuesday’s encounter.

The Warriors’ 45-man contingent, led by the ZIFA Vice President, Kennedy Ndebele, landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo on Friday afternoon, 85 minutes after the arrival of the Super Eagles’ contingent from Kigali.

While the Warriors trained at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Sunday morning, the Super Eagles trained at the same venue in the evening.

Leaders South Africa, on 10 points, square up to second-placed Benin Republic, on eight points, at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan in a match starting simultaneously with that of Uyo. 

Lesotho, now in fifth place following their defeat by South Africa on Friday, will tackle Rwanda’s Amavubi at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium in the last match of group C.

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Corporate partners of the Nigeria Football Federation have joined the race to provide incentives for the Super Eagles to go all out for the three points when they take on the Warriors of Zimbabwe in Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualification Series Matchday 6 encounter at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.

Nigerian Breweries, through their brands Goldberg, Life Continental and Zagg Energy drink are sponsoring the Man-of-the-match award for the sum of one million naira. The dummy cheque will be presented to the winner right on the pitch immediately after the final whistle.

On their part, Carloha, the official automobile company of the NFF and the National Teams, will sponsor the Chery Most Valuable Player award, also for the sum of one million naira. The dummy cheque for the amount will equally be presented to the winner on the pitch after the match.

Sports journalists attending Tuesday’s match will be saddled with the task of picking the man of the match as well as the Most Valuable Player.

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Reminiscence of last October’s experience with the Nigeria Super Eagles in Libya, the Libyan immigration officials got the South Sudan football team stranded at the Bernina International Airport in Benghazi, Libya on Sunday.

South Sudan have a World Cup qualifying match with Sudan in Libya.

Sudan play their home matches in Libya. South Sudan arrived in Libya only to witness a nightmare situation similar to that of Nigeria.

 The South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) reported that their delegation was stranded for three hours at the airport due to the absence of representatives from the Sudanese Football Association, who were expected to manage their reception.

Libyan migration authorities seized the passports of the South Sudanese delegation, leaving the team in a state of uncertainty and unable to proceed with their preparations for the crucial match.

A statement attached to a video by the South Sudan Football Association read on X reads: “A footage of Bright Star stranded for staggering three hours at Benina International Airport, Benghazi Libya.

“When the representatives of the Sudanese Football Association failed to turn up at their reception. The passports of the delegation were seized by the Libyan Migration authority.”

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