World Cup
Ndidi Rallies Super Eagles Ahead of World Cup Play-Off Battle in Morocco
Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has expressed strong optimism and unity within the Nigerian camp as the team prepares for this week’s FIFA World Cup Play-offs in Morocco, where they will begin their quest to secure a ticket to the Intercontinental Play-offs slated for March 2026.
The team is expected to assemble in Rabat on Monday. Ndidi, recently appointed vice-captain of Turkish giants Beşiktaş, said the team is focused, confident, and ready to confront the challenge head-on as the journey to the next World Cup intensifies.
“The strength of the team lies in our pace and power in transition, creativity in wide areas, and a solid spine,” Ndidi told journalists. “We also have depth — players who can come in and change the game. When we’re connected and intense, we’re dangerous.”
While confident in Nigeria’s quality, the midfielder stressed that the players remain fully aware of the unpredictable nature of knockout football.
“With unity and discipline, we believe we can do it,” he said. “We respect every opponent. Play-offs come down to fine margins, not reputation. Our focus is on preparation — sharp training, good recovery, and executing the game plan. If we do that, our quality will shine through.”
The Leicester City alumnus, who has been one of Nigeria’s most consistent performers over the past decade, said the squad’s mindset is built on humility and professionalism.
“As a team, we want to qualify while staying respectful of the task,” Ndidi continued. “We’ll prepare well, give everything, and maintain our humility.”
Reflecting on lessons from the qualification journey so far, the Super Eagles vice-captain emphasized attention to detail and discipline as key takeaways.
“We’ve learned to respect the details — game management, set pieces, recovery, and discipline without the ball. Trusting the process, sticking to simple, clear roles, and keeping the team spirit high are key,” he explained.
Ndidi also acknowledged the psychological and physical challenges that accompany high-stakes fixtures.
“We must manage pressure, handle away environments, and stay focused for the full 90 minutes,” he said. “Fatigue is a factor with travel and tight schedules, so recovery and squad rotation are crucial.”
To the Super Eagles’ passionate global fanbase, Ndidi offered a message of assurance and commitment.
“Expect commitment, organization, and intensity,” he promised. “We want to be difficult to play against, control key moments, and show courage when it matters most. The promise we can make is effort and togetherness.”
Nigeria will face Gabon in Rabat in their first play-off fixture, as head coach Eric Chelle leads the Super Eagles into what is expected to be a fiercely contested route toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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The Trump administration will not require World Cup ticket holders from countries flagged for high rates of visa overstays to pay expensive bonds to enter the United States, a U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday.
The administration last year began requiring visitors from some countries to pay bonds of up to $15,000 to obtain tourist visas to the U.S., saying the steep deposit was needed to prevent visa overstays. Fifty countries are currently subject to the bond requirement, which was expanded this year.
Five of the 50 countries subject to the visa bonds qualified to participate in the World Cup: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia.
Mora Namdar, the top official in the State Department’s consular affairs division, said the U.S. would waive the bond requirement for ticket-holding fans who had already registered through a special system to expedite their visa processing. Qualifying team members and staff can also have the bonds waived, Namdar said.
“We remain committed to strengthening U.S. national security priorities while facilitating legitimate travel for the upcoming World Cup tournament,” she said in a statement.
The Associated Press first reported the news.
The World Cup, one of the globe’s biggest sporting events, will be held in June and July this year across three countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown has already cast a pall over the event and raised concerns about the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Last year, masked federal agents surged into U.S. cities to track down immigration offenders and detained some tourists at airports.
The advocacy group Human Rights Watch , in late April, called on FIFA to press the U.S. government to establish an “ICE Truce” for the World Cup, including a public guarantee to refrain from immigration enforcement operations at games and venues.
DHS said at the time that international visitors travelling for the games “have nothing to worry about” if they have legal immigration status.
The U.S. launched a system in January to make it easier for World Cup ticket holders to obtain expedited visas. In order to have the bond requirement waived, ticket holders from affected countries must have registered in that system, known as FIFA PASS, by April 15.
-Reuters
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New Jersey’s public rail system is further dropping its World Cup ticket price from an original $150 per round trip to $98, the rail system provider said on Wednesday.
This NJ TRANSIT cut followed a reduction to $105 earlier in May.
The prices for the trip, which outraged World Cup fans both in the New York City area and from overseas, sparked much political comment, from local officials to U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
Local officials had complained that FIFA was going to earn billions from the event, while New Jersey taxpayers would be footing a huge bill for security, disrupted services and other game-related impacts.
“We were able to reduce costs while protecting NJ Transit’s daily customers and commuters from bearing the financial burden,” NJ Transit Chair Priya Jain said.
The price drop was possible because of additional advertising revenue, the agency said.
The tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, starts on June 11.
-Reuters
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The White House refuted reports that the United States denied visas for five members of Iraq’s national team ahead of next month’s World Cup.
The State Department sent a statement on Wednesday to Front Office Sports in response to online reports involving five players, including Luton Town forward Ali Al-Hamadi.
“Currently, there are no known issues affecting the Iraq National Team players, and they remain on track to compete in the World Cup,” the statement reads. “We maintain daily communication with FIFA and will continue to prioritise these players in accordance with the President’s Executive Order, ensuring an incredible and safe tournament.”
The Iraqi Football Association also quashed the rumours that had circulated on social media on Tuesday.
“The news is false, and the truth is that all the national team players have obtained entry visas to America,” it said, per the Iraqi news site The New Region, adding that the players are also in the process of getting Canadian visas.
Iraq is in a tough Group I for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America, along with France, Senegal and Norway. Iraq is scheduled to play games in Foxborough, Mass. (June 16 vs. Norway), Philadelphia (June 22 vs. France) and in Toronto (June 26 vs. Senegal).
-Reuters
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US drops bond requirement for World Cup ticket holders
New Jersey cuts World Cup rail ticket prices again
White House: No visa issues for Iraq’s World Cup team
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