After missing out on the opportunity to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Nigeria has been presented with a challenging path to secure a spot in the 2026 edition of the tournament.
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The draws for the African qualifiers took place in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, revealing a demanding group for the Super Eagles.
Nigeria’s hopes of making it to Qatar 2022 were dashed by Ghana, as the Black Stars advanced on the away goal rule following a goalless draw in Cape Coast and a 1-1 stalemate in Abuja.
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria finds itself in a group that includes South Africa, Benin Republic (now under the management of former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr), Lesotho, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.
In order to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria must emerge as the winner of their group.
However, the four best group runners-up will have an opportunity to enter a playoff stage, where they will compete for a chance to represent Africa in an inter-confederation tournament scheduled for March 2026.
The African qualifiers will kick off in November, with each group beginning their first round of fixtures.
Among the notable groups, Morocco, semifinalists in the previous World Cup, finds themselves in Group E alongside Zambia, Congo Brazzaville, Tanzania, Niger, and Eritrea.
Egypt, on the other hand, has been drawn into Group A, where they will face Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.
Senegal, one of Africa’s football powerhouses, will contend with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, and South Sudan in Group B.
As for Nigeria, Group C includes Cameroun, Cape Verde, Angola, Libya, Eswatini, and Mauritius. Group F features Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Kenya, Gambia, Burundi, and Seychelles, while Group G comprises Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, and Somalia.
Group H sees Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, and Sao Tome and Principe vying for qualification, and Group I consists of Mali, Ghana, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros, and Chad.
The draw for the African qualifiers took place after the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) general assembly in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
Nigeria’s encounters with South Africa have often favored the Super Eagles, but the Bafana Bafana attempted to change the tide in 2019 when they defeated Nigeria 2-0 in Uyo during a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Benin Republic, Nigeria’s neighboring country, has historically struggled against the Super Eagles. However, with Gernot Rohr’s intimate knowledge of the Nigerian team, having managed the Super Eagles for six years, the Benin Republic side, now known as the Cheetahs (formerly Squirrels), will be hopeful of causing an upset against their more renowned adversaries.
As Nigeria embarks on the journey to secure a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Super Eagles will need to demonstrate resilience, tactical prowess, and teamwork to navigate through a challenging group.
With strong contenders and familiar opponents in their path, the road to the 2026 World Cup promises to be a fierce and captivating battle for Nigerian football.
