The Super Eagles’ path to the 2026 World Cup may hinge on a FIFA decision involving South Africa.

Lesotho insists that South Africa’s use of suspended Mamelodi Sundowns’ midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their March 21 qualifier was unlawful and has asked FIFA to rule.

A points deduction for Bafana Bafana would place Benin level with the current group leaders, tightening the race in which Nigeria is still a strong contender.

For now, Lesotho has pledged to respect FIFA’s final decision without appeal. But as Mohapi noted, the ruling will set a precedent for all future eligibility disputes in international football.

With only two fixtures remaining for each team in the group, Nigeria faces a potentially decisive clash against Lesotho on October 6, venue yet to be confirmed.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group could be reshaped as Lesotho presses FIFA to sanction South Africa for fielding an ineligible player in March.

Lesotho Football Association Secretary General Mokhosi Phillip Mohapi, according to a South African publication, Soccer Laduma, has warned that FIFA’s handling of the protest could set a precedent, effectively allowing teams to field suspended players without consequences.

South Africa defeated Lesotho 2-0 at Peter Mokaba Stadium on March 21, but later developments revealed that midfielder Teboho Mokoena should not have featured due to suspension.

Neither Lesotho nor South Africa was aware of the suspension at the time, so no complaint was filed before FIFA’s deadline.

Nigeria and Benin, group rivals of both countries, are monitoring the situation closely. A points deduction for Bafana Bafana could alter the top of Group standings and strengthen Nigeria’s chances of qualification.

Mohapi told Soccer Laduma that Lesotho would accept FIFA’s verdict without appeal but stressed that the ruling will set the standard for future eligibility cases.

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By KUNLE SOLAJA.

Even if the Super Eagles secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, no Nigerian club is likely to benefit from the record $355 million FIFA has earmarked for its expanded Club Benefits Programme (CBP).

The initiative, announced by FIFA on Tuesday, will distribute the funds to clubs worldwide as compensation for releasing players to national teams during both World Cup qualifiers and the final tournament. It represents a 70% increase from the $209 million disbursed after the 2022 edition in Qatar.

However, Nigerian clubs will once again be on the sidelines of this financial bonanza. Traditionally, no player from the domestic Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) makes the World Cup roster. Instead, the benefits flow to clubs in Europe, Asia, and other leagues where Nigerian internationals ply their trade.

In Qatar 2022, the Super Eagles missed out on the finals altogether, but in earlier editions such as 2018 and 2014, the compensation went to European teams like Leicester City, Villarreal, Fenerbahçe, Nantes, and Napoli — the employers of Nigerian stars. Not a kobo trickled down to Nigerian clubs.

At Qatar 2022, even if Nigeria had qualified, nothing would have come to any Nigerian club in the sharing of the $209 million that FIFA distributed as the Super Eagles selection would not have included any home-based player.

In contrast clubs from the other African countries got the following:

• Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) — $1,405,305 (reported as the largest CAF club share).
• Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia) —$525,620.
• Club Africain (Tunisia) — $312,087.
• Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia) — $262,810.
• CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) — $197,107.
• US Monastir (Tunisia) — $197,107.
• Asante Kotoko (Ghana) — $219,008 (one of five Ghanaian clubs to receive payments totaling roughly  $565,772 distributed to clubs via the Ghana FA).
• Hearts of Oak (Ghana) — $200,757.
• Generation Foot (Senegal) — $20,075 (example of a smaller-club payout in Africa).

FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the updated CBP as “recognising financially the huge contribution clubs make to the staging of both the qualifiers and the finals.” ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi hailed it as “innovative,” noting it rewards clubs for their pivotal role in developing and releasing players.

But for Nigeria, the irony persists: a country that produces world-class talent sees the financial recognition bypass its domestic system. With the 2026 edition expanding benefits to qualifiers, more foreign clubs tied to Nigerian internationals will cash in — from Napoli (Victor Osimhen) to AC Milan (Samuel Chukwueze) and Fulham (Calvin Bassey).

Meanwhile, NPFL sides like Enyimba, Shooting Stars, and Kano Pillars — once the nurseries of national team talent — remain spectators in the money game.

The situation underscores Nigeria’s enduring challenge: developing its league to the point where home-based players feature consistently for the Super Eagles, thereby ensuring that global windfalls like FIFA’s CBP directly strengthen local football.

Behold the clubs that will benefit should Nigeria qualify for World Cup

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