The Super Eagles’ qualifying from Group C of the FIFA World Cup African qualifiers will go all the way to the final day, after another tense round of matchups on Friday left three teams in contention.
With one match remaining, the Republic of Benin leads the standings with 17 points, two ahead of South Africa (15 points) and three ahead of Nigeria.
The last round on Tuesday will determine who receives the solitary automatic ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
In Durban, Zimbabwe and South Africa drew 0-0, a blow for Bafana Bafana, who had hoped to qualify early.
Nigeria secured a 2-1 win over Lesotho in Polokwane, with Captain William Troost-Ekong converting a penalty and Akor Adams adding a second to keep their hopes alive.
Meanwhile, the Republic of Benin maintained their momentum with a disciplined 1-0 victory over Rwanda, thanks to a late strike from Tosin Aiye.
The result highlighted another calm performance from Gernot Rohr’s team, who are now one match away from a historic World Cup qualification.
Nigeria last featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where the Super Eagles bowed out in the group stage after a narrow 2–1 defeat to Argentina.
However, the team was unable to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar, losing the playoff spot to Ghana on away goals following a close two-leg tie.
As the campaign for the 2026 World Cup heats up, missing out again would be a significant loss for Nigerian football, extending the country’s absence from the global stage to 12 years, with the next likely appearance not until 2030.
Nigeria now faces a must-win match against the Benin Republic on Tuesday, October 14, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
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Victory is essential for the Super Eagles to keep their qualification hopes alive, while their destiny may potentially be determined by other results.
Win versus Benin Republic: Nigeria must win all three points in Uyo to stay in contention.
The Super Eagles also need South Africa to drop points against Rwanda.
A draw in that match, paired with a Nigerian win by two or more goals, might result in the Eagles finishing first on goal difference.
South Africa vs. Rwanda: Nigerian fans will pay special attention to this match, which will be contested at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Lesotho vs. Zimbabwe: Both teams are already out of contention and will compete for pride.
With everything on the line, Tuesday’s encounter in Uyo promises to be a watershed moment in Nigerian football, a night that could either revive the Super Eagles’ World Cup dreams or result in another devastating near-miss.
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has downplayed concerns about Ademola Lookman’s withdrawal from the final match against Benin after receiving his second yellow card of the qualifiers in the win over Lesotho.
Chelle replaced the Atalanta forward in the 71st minute with Samuel Chukwueze but later affirmed that Lookman’s ban would not jeopardize the team’s intentions.
“The suspension is unfortunate, but the team has the strength and character to win,” Chelle said after the match.
