Head coach Thierry Mouyouma of Gabon’s national team, the Panthers, will on Thursday, November 6, unveil his 25-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup zonal play-offs. The information was confirmed by the Gabonese Press Agency (AGP).

Gabon, who finished as the best runner-up in the qualifiers with 25 points, are set to face Nigeria’s Super Eagles in a high-stakes semi-final on Thursday, November 13, at 5:00 PM (4:00 PM GMT). The match will take place at the El Barid Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, and will feature Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.

The encounter promises to be explosive, as the Panthers go up against a star-studded Nigerian side featuring top European-based players such as Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman. Victory for Gabon would set up a final clash on November 16 against the winner of DR Congo vs. Cameroon, with a spot in the intercontinental play-offs in March 2026—the final hurdle before the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico—at stake.

A blend of youth and experience expected

Coach Mouyouma is expected to maintain the core of his regular squad while introducing a few new faces to inject freshness and balance. The team’s talisman and captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, is set to return after serving a suspension, bolstering the attack alongside Denis Bouanga, Kanga Guelor, and Mario Lemina.

In goal, Anse Ngoubi is likely to retain his starting role, while veteran defender Bruno Ecuele Manga will once again anchor the back line and provide leadership to a relatively youthful defense.

The upcoming mini-tournament in Morocco, organized by CAF, will not only determine Africa’s additional World Cup hopeful but also serve as a dress rehearsal for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nine African teams—Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, and South Africa—have already booked their tickets to the 2026 World Cup. The winner from this play-off series will join them as Africa’s tenth representative.

All eyes will be on Thierry Mouyouma’s announcement on Thursday, as Gabonese fans eagerly await the lineup that will take on Nigeria’s formidable Super Eagles in Rabat.

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By Kunle Solaja.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat will host the eagerly awaited 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff between Nigeria and Gabon — a tie already being billed as a battle of history, pride, and redemption.

The 22,000-capacity stadium, sleek and modern in its architecture, will be the stage where decades of rivalry between the Super Eagles and the Panthers are rekindled. For Nigeria, it is more than just another qualifier; it is a chance to erase old scars and reaffirm continental dominance.

This will be the ninth meeting between the two nations — and the fifth in World Cup qualifying history.

The numbers favour Nigeria, who have triumphed five times, drawn twice, and lost only once. But that lone defeat remains a painful footnote in the nation’s football folklore.

It happened on June 25, 1989, at the Stade Omnisport Omar Bongo in Libreville. Gabon, then considered minnows, stunned the visiting Super Eagles with first-half strikes from Vicoise Ondenot and Michael Minico. Samson Siasia pulled one back in the 57th minute, but it was too little, too late.

Unbeknownst to many, that defeat changed Nigeria’s World Cup story. The Super Eagles, coached by Paul Hamilton with Clemens Westerhof watching from the stands, missed out on the Italia ’90 World Cup after falling 1–0 to Cameroon in the final group match. Had Nigeria won in Libreville, the tale might have been different.

Since then, Nigeria have made sure history did not repeat itself. The Super Eagles’ most memorable victory over Gabon came at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, where goals from Rashidi Yekini (two) and Mutiu Adepoju sealed a commanding 3–0 win.

In that match, a young Pierre-François Aubameyang — father of current Gabonese star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — featured for the Panthers.

From Libreville to Enugu, Tunis, Port Harcourt and now to Rabat, the fixture has come full circle. T

he Moroccan capital, shimmering under the North African autumn sun, will once again witness another chapter in this long-running rivalry.

For Nigeria, the mission is clear: reclaim old glory and book a ticket to the 2026 World Cup. For Gabon, it is the chance to rewrite the script and step out from the shadows of history.

As the clock ticks down to kick-off, the air in Rabat already hums with anticipation — a reminder that football, after all, never forgets.

Nigeria – Gabon Head-to-Head

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Ahead of the winner-takes-all World Cup qualifying play off in Morocco, the Super Eagles will open camp in Morocco on Sunday 9 November.

The Nigerian side will face the Panthers of Gabon in the first semi-finals of the play-offs scheduled to hold in Rabat, Morocco on 13 November. CAF will on Thursday decide on which of the two semi-final matches will be played at the newly inaugurated Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

The other match will then be played at the newly renovated Al Barid Stadium at the Agdal district of Rabat.

According to a media release by the Nigeria Football Federation, officials of the federation are working with those of the National Sports Commission (NSC) to ensure the success of the Super Eagles at the mini-tournament.

The Super Eagles will square up against the Panthers of Gabon at either the 18,000-capacity El-Barid Stadium or the 22,000-capacity Prince Moulay El Hassan Sports Complex, both in Rabat.

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