Nigerian football fans have grown increasingly anxious in recent months as the Super Eagles’ poor start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign puts their chances of reaching the tournament in jeopardy. The team currently sits in fifth place with just three points from four matches.
However, the Super Eagles still have a chance to revive Nigeria’s World Cup aspirations, with crucial upcoming matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe providing an opportunity to reignite hope with back-to-back wins.
With supporters hoping for a miraculous turnaround, Bold Sports breaks down the significance of the Super Eagles’ upcoming matches, highlighting how two crucial victories could revitalise Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualification hopes.
Increased African representation in 2026 World Cup
The highest number of African teams in a single World Cup edition was six in 2010, which included host nation South Africa and five other qualifiers. However, for the 2026 World Cup, with the competition expanded to 48 teams, Africa will have nine guaranteed representatives, marking a significant increase in the continent’s participation.
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Additionally, Africa will contribute one team to the inter-confederation playoffs, which will feature six teams competing for the final two World Cup berths.
The 53 African teams vying for World Cup spots have been divided into nine groups of six teams each, with countries playing each other home and away. The winners of each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the four highest-ranked runners-up will compete in an African playoff in November 2025.
The African playoff will then determine which of the four runners-up will advance to the inter-confederation playoffs, where they’ll compete for a World Cup berth.
As it stands, Namibia (11 points), Ivory Coast (10 points), Cameroon (9 points), and Algeria (9 points) are the four teams currently on track to progress to the Second Round as the best-ranked runners-up.
What two wins would mean for Nigeria?
Benin Republic’s 2-2 draw with Zimbabwe propelled them to the top of Group C with eight points. This development sets the stage for a crucial matchup, where a Nigerian victory over Rwanda would narrow the gap to just two points behind Benin Republic and one point behind Rwanda.
For Nigeria to have a chance at topping the group, they’ll need Lesotho to secure a favourable result against South Africa. If Bafana Bafana wins, they will move to the top with 10 points, making it impossible for Nigeria to claim the top spot even if they win both of their upcoming matches.
To stand a chance of leading the group after the sixth round of games, Nigeria will need a combination of favourable results, including:
- Beating Zimbabwe convincingly to improve their goal difference.
- Hoping South Africa draws against both Lesotho and Benin Republic.
- Relying on Lesotho to secure a positive result against Rwanda.
Even if Nigeria misses out on the top spot, they can still improve their chances of qualifying for the African playoffs. Two wins would take them to nine points, tying them with Algeria, who currently occupy the fourth spot among the best second-placed teams.
With these various scenarios in play, Nigeria’s path to the 2026 World Cup hinges on securing two vital victories, starting with their Friday showdown against Rwanda at 5 p.m. Nigerian time.
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