World Cup
Troost-Ekong: Super Eagles Ready to Give 2026 World Cup Play-Off Their All
Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has assured Nigerians that the team will give their very best in next month’s CAF Play-Off Tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be staged in Morocco.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, the defender said the squad remains upbeat after their emphatic 4–0 victory over Benin Republic in Uyo on Tuesday — a result that secured Nigeria’s passage to the CAF play-offs, the final qualifying stage before the intercontinental series in Mexico next March.
“We are quite happy to have that opportunity. It’s a long route, but it’s a route nonetheless,” Troost-Ekong said.
“We would have loved to get the automatic ticket, but it didn’t happen, and we take what we have. For us, we will remain strong, tough, and ready to confront every challenge on our way as we search for the ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
Reflecting on the team’s performance, the captain praised the unity and determination that defined Tuesday’s win.
“It was a wonderful team effort. Everyone contributed; each person played their part. If the other match had gone in our favour, we would already have the automatic ticket. But that’s life — you take what you get and make the best of it,” he added.
On a night of redemption in Uyo, Victor Osimhen stole the spotlight with a stunning hat-trick, while substitute Frank Onyeka sealed the rout with a late strike in the 90th minute.
The win, however, was not enough to secure automatic qualification, as Rwanda’s Amavubi fell apart against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Nelspruit — a painful déjà vu for Nigerian fans.
The scenario echoed the events of November 2005, when Rwanda’s late capitulation at home to Angola denied Nigeria a place at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, despite the Super Eagles’ 5–1 demolition of Zimbabwe in Abuja.
In the upcoming CAF Play-Offs, Nigeria will face Gabon’s Palancas Negras in the first semi-final on Thursday, 13 November, while Cameroon will square off against DR Congo in the second semi-final on Friday, 14 November. The winners will meet in the final on Sunday, 16 November, with the ultimate victor advancing to the intercontinental play-offs in Mexico next March.
The global play-off tournament will feature six teams — Africa’s representative, Bolivia, New Caledonia, the Asian play-off winner between Iraq and the UAE, and two of Jamaica, Costa Rica, or Panama — all vying for two remaining World Cup spots.
Troost-Ekong concluded with optimism, saying the Super Eagles are determined to make Nigeria proud:
“We’ve come too far to stop now. The dream is alive, and we’ll fight to be at the 2026 World Cup.”
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are still alive—but the Super Eagles must now navigate a four-match route through both the African and Intercontinental play-offs. The process will last five months.
After missing out on direct qualification from their 10-match group series, Nigeria will now feature in the CAF Play-off scheduled for 10–18 November 2025 in Morocco.
According to the projected draw, four teams—Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, and DR Congo— will compete in a straight knockout format. Based on the current FIFA rankings, the Super Eagles will be designated Team A and will face Gabon in the semi-finals, while Cameroon meet DR Congo in the other fixture.
Winners of both matches will advance to the final to determine Africa’s representative for the Intercontinental Play-off. The CAF Play-off champion will have played two matches—semi-final and final—to book the continental ticket.
That winner will then join five other teams—one each from Asia (AFC), South America (CONMEBOL), Oceania (OFC), and two from North & Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF)—in the Intercontinental Play-off scheduled for March 23–31, 2026, in the United States.
Among the teams already confirmed are Bolivia (CONMEBOL’s seventh-placed side) and New Caledonia, runners-up in Oceania. The Asian, CONCACAF, and African representatives will be decided next month.
The six teams will be seeded according to the FIFA World Ranking, with the two highest-ranked earning byes to the final round. The remaining four will contest two semi-finals, and the winners will then face the seeded teams. The two victorious nations from those matches will claim the final World Cup slots.
By the current FIFA ranking, Nigeria (45), if qualified for the intercontinental play-off, stands a higher position than Bolivia (77) and New Caledonia (150) and could be one of the two to be seeded.
The two matches at the CAF play-off and good running at the December-January Africa Cup of Nations could substantially improve the Super Eagles’ ranking ahead of the intercontinental play-off in March next year.
For Nigeria, the qualification pathway is clear but steep:
- Win the CAF Play-off in Morocco (two matches: semi-final and final)
- Advance to the Intercontinental Play-off in March 2026
- Defeat one or two opponents from other confederations (depending on seeding)
- Secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States
Key Dates
- CAF Play-off: November 10–18, 2025 (Morocco)
- Intercontinental Play-off: March 23–31, 2026 (United States)
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Senegal secured a runaway 4-0 victory over neighbours Mauritania to finish top of their qualifying group and reach next year’s World Cup finals.
Senegal were quarter-finalists in 2002 and also competed at the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals.
-Reuters
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Cote d’Ivoire overcame Kenya 3-0 in their final qualifier on Tuesday to finish top of their group and secure a berth at next year’s World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
The Ivorians are reigning African champions and will be competing at a fourth World Cup but first since 2014.
-Reuters
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