Super Eagles…2026 World Cup qualifications

…My biggest worry is still how the players will act—UdezeThe requirements for inviting players have been lowered—OnaziNwosu: Coaches shouldn’t forget about players who play at home.Super Eagles…2026 World Cup qualifications

…Enyeama: The NFF encourages lack of discipline in the Eagles camp.Akanni and Toro want Eguavoen to keep going.

Nigerians aren’t sure if the Super Eagles will be able to win Group C’s only spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup because they are currently in fifth place, far behind Rwanda, South Africa, Benin Republic, and Lesotho. The next round of qualification games starts in March 2025.

The Super Eagles, who don’t have a permanent coach yet, would need to win the last six games in the series to get 18 points on top of the three points they already have and finish with 23 points to win the group.

Before 1994, Nigeria’s senior national team, known as the Red Devils, Green Eagles, or Super Eagles, had always failed to qualify for the World Cup, which is the biggest single sports event in the world. The closest they came was in 1977, when they needed a home win against Tunisia to qualify but failed because Godwin Odiye scored an own goal.

After getting its independence from Britain in 1960, the country’s national team first played in the CAF World Cup qualifiers for the 1962 tournament in Chile. Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, and Tunisia were the other six teams that played.

Six countries were in the running for a partial spot, but only four were chosen because Egypt (then called the United Arab Republic) and Sudan pulled out.

Morocco played Tunisia, and Nigeria and Ghana played each other in a two-legged match.
In their home games, Morocco and Tunisia both won 2-1, but in the playoffs in Palermo, Italy, both teams settled for a 1-1 draw after extra time. Instead of a penalty shootout, the winner was decided by flipping a coin, which Morocco won.

Ghana beat Nigeria 4-1 in the first leg in Accra, and the second leg in Lagos ended in a tie. Ghana then played Morocco and lost to the North Africans.

Africa didn’t get a spot because Morocco lost to Spain in the inter-confederation playoffs.

Nigeria was one of 15 African countries that signed up for the qualifications for 1966. They didn’t play any games, though, because they all pulled out in protest after FIFA wouldn’t give an African team a direct qualifying spot.

They were told to play a team from Asia and the Pacific, just like they had to play a team from UEFA in the qualifying rounds in 1962.

After Ghana was kicked out of the 1970 World Cup qualifiers, Morocco became the obstacle. They got the one ticket and qualified ahead of Nigeria because CAF didn’t have to go through the playoffs route again.
Nigeria was shut out again by Ghana in 1974, after going down 2-0 in Lagos and 0-0 in Accra.

Nigeria didn’t get to go to the 1978 World Cup because Godwin Odiye scored an own goal at the National Stadium in Lagos.

In 1982, FIFA gave Africa two spots, but Nigeria still didn’t make it. This happened again in 1986 and 1990.
The Super Eagles team that won the AFCON in Tunisia in 1994 also made history by easily qualifying the country for its first World Cup, which was held in the United States that same year.

The Super Eagles have only missed two tournaments since their first appearance. The last one was in Qatar, where they also lost to perennial rivals Ghana after drawing 0-0 in Accra and 1-1 in Abuja. The first tournament was in Germany, where they lost to Angola by head-to-head rule.

This is the first time since 1994 that the Super Eagles have put themselves in a dangerous situation that has made Nigerians wonder if they can get out of the mess they’ve made by not taking matches seriously.

In contrast to the story of the monkey asking the cat to help it pick the chestnut out of the fire, the Super Eagles would not need outside help to do the impossible and win all six remaining matches. If they fail to do so, they would have to say goodbye to the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.

The person chosen to lead the team on this journey has a tough job ahead of them. As of now, the chances are very low that it will be Austin Eguavoen (either temporarily or permanently) or a foreign coach. This is because of how well the current Super Eagles team has been playing.

The team hasn’t won six straight games in the past year. With all this stress, how are they going to do it now?

There were 18 games between them from January to November of this year, with three being friendly games. They only won nine of them. One of the wins was a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals of the AFCON in Abidjan against South Africa. The other was a 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya that they won.

As a result, they have only won seven games during regulation time. This means that they have a 39% chance of doing the same in their remaining six World Cup games, which begin on March 17, 2025, with a match in Kigali against the same Rwanda team that beat them in a rare win at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo last month.

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Following the game in Kigali, they will play two home games in a row against Zimbabwe on March 24 and Rwanda on September 25.

In September, they will go to Johannesburg to play the Bafana Bafana. Hugo Broos, the coach of the Bafana Bafana, is almost swearing that Nigeria will qualify ahead of South Africa no matter what.
On October 13, their last home game will be against Gernot Rohr’s Cheetahs. The Cheetahs beat them in Abidjan in the first qualifying game.

If the Super Eagles lose any of the five games they have played before their last game away to Lesotho, the NFF should send the top club in the NPFL or the CHAN Eagles to play the game instead of sending expensive players from Europe. This would save the country money on foreign exchange.

If the Super Eagles can, however, “pull the chestnut out of the fire” and qualify, it will be even better than what former FIFA vice president Jack Warner called the “eighth wonder of the world” when he talked about how ready the Lagos National Stadium was for the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup in just a few months.

Poor discipline is a big problem for the Super Eagles.
The famous quote by American author and businessman Emmanuel Rohn, better known as Jim Rohn, may have been about the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Mr. Rohn said, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” To put it another way, this quote says that being disciplined is important for reaching your goals.

Concerns about the Super Eagles’ lack of discipline have come up as the main issue that could stop Nigeria from getting into the 2026 World Cup. South Africa, the Republic of Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Lesotho are in a group that was once seen as favourable for Nigeria.

Unfortunately, the Super Eagles are currently in a dangerous second-to-last spot in Group C, with only three points out of a possible 12. They have already played four of their five opponents in the group, giving them six games to decide whether they will join the party of 48 teams, which has grown from 32 teams. There will be 48 teams in the tournament for the first time. It will run from June 11, 2026, to July 19, 2026. It will be held for the first time in 16 cities in three North American countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. And it doesn’t look likely that Nigeria’s green, white, and green flag will be flying with the other 47 flags.

There have been a lot of rumours about lack of discipline on the team from former internationals who have been there and done that. Along with the shocking lack of character or belief on the part of the players, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will take the blame for everything because they did little to nothing to stop the players from being disrespectful at camp and to help restore order after the players used their power play. The fact that the team doesn’t have a permanent coach has made things worse, since interim coach Austin Eguavoen can’t enforce rules on a team that he didn’t even help get to camp. Each player knows which team they’re rooting for.

My biggest worry is still how the players will act – Udeze
Vitalis Ifeanyichukwu used to play for his country Udeze said that the only thing that worries him about Nigeria’s chances of making it to the World Cup is how the players will act. “My worst fear is still the Eagles’ camp’s bad behaviour and lack of discipline.” The players aren’t excited about going to camp. They used to be very strict about camp rules, but now they’re not as strict. They get to camp late, but they still get shirts to play in a game. It’s not right. It never took place when I was playing. “It’s clear what happened because the players didn’t connect with each other or the coach,” he said with regret.

The requirements for inviting players have been lowered – Onazi
Ogenyi Onazi, another former Super Eagles player, agreed with Udeze that the current Super Eagles’ level of commitment is questionable. He called for stricter rules and regulations (Code of Conduct) for the team. It was a thrill to be invited to the Super Eagles’ camp, and the players who were invited will always remember it. These days, any player can join the team, which has lowered the standard.

Being invited to the national team isn’t just based on how well you do at your club. Also taken into account were discipline, respect, and behaviour. Many different types of players are now invited to the team, and they’ve destroyed the team’s unity and brotherhood. “That’s why I keep saying there should be rules in the team if we need to put it all together and make it to the World Cup,” Onazi said.

Most of the former players we talked to didn’t say exactly what was wrong, but it was clear that they pointed the finger at the Nigeria Football Federation, which runs football. Some big guns are said to have special players they bring to the camp without telling anyone else about it.

how much the coach knows. And these players think they are holy cows that are above the law. Many people said that if the Super Eagles don’t make it to the World Cup, it will be because the people who are supposed to be managing our football aren’t good at their job. During the worst of the trouble between Victor Osimhen and coach Finidi George, it was clear that people were ignoring bad behaviour and not punishing those who did it.

Lots of football fans are also confused by the behaviour of the current Super Eagles players. For example, content creators are seen walking in and out of the team’s camp without being stopped, which is breaking camp rules and making coach Eguavoen unhappy because he wants to be confirmed as the coach more than stepping on the toes of sacred players who can pull the rug out from under him through their godfathers.

NFF promotes lack of discipline in Eagles camp – Enyeama
There was no doubt in Vincent Enyeama’s mind when he said that the NFF was to blame for the lack of discipline in the Eagles camp.

“The football house should be in charge of making rules and regulations.” They need to know when the players need to be at camp. They should have a schedule like when they played for their clubs. They should go to camp the day after playing for their teams. Players come to camp two or three days after playing for their teams, which is not good, and they are not punished or taken action against.

Vic Agali, who used to play for the Eagles, also said that the NFF was to blame for most of the problems in the national team. I’m not sure if they care about how Nigerian football is seen. It breaks my heart to think that our management is the real reason why the national team struggle. I also want to know what kind of help they’ve given the coaches.

Hope for qualification
No matter how bad things look for the Super Eagles, some people are still hopeful that they can make it to the 2026 World Cup in America, Canada, or Mexico. Henry Nwosu, who used to be captain of the Super Eagles, is in this group.

He said you can always be the person you could have been. And Sani Toro, who used to be secretary general of the NFA and was the team’s writer when they made it to their first World Cup in USA 1994. He is a big believer in the Super Eagles and in the possibility of tomorrow. He believes that our doubts today are the only thing that will stop us from making tomorrow come true.

—Henry Nwosu Coaches shouldn’t forget about players who play at home.
“Nigeria can still and will qualify for the 2026 World Cup,” the former captain said of the team’s chances. To do better, they only need to focus on their games and work harder, just like they do at their clubs. Team managers shouldn’t forget about the players who live at home.

“As was always done in the past, they should be asked to join the national team.” Let them compete with the home-based teams for the shirts. The players who live outside of the country may not be taking their national team duties seriously because they have nothing to lose. They will play their game when they get back to their clubs, no matter what.

“But the home-based players are hungry and eager to make a name for themselves and attract foreign clubs.” They also want to play in another country. That’s why they should compete for the shirts. If the home-based player does better, they should get a spot on the team.

“I don’t think we don’t have a coach for the team,” he said. There is a coach named Augustine Eguavoen who works for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He needs to feel better. That would be a bad time to look for a coach because it would take longer for the new coach to get to know the players.

“Once more, Eguavoen should be able to choose his own players without any help.” Eguavoen should be there because he knows how to lead the team. There are coaches here who can help the Eagles.

“Emmanuel Amuneke was a good football player and is now a good coach.” This is Nigeria, and we have good coaches. These Nigerian coaches only need a good place to work, the freedom to do their jobs, rules, and good pay, like they give to the expatriate coaches. Things will change once they give Eguavoen permission and he knows he’s in charge. The players will change how they act, and discipline will happen on its own. People in the game will be careful because they know he can drop them or not invite them. I don’t think we need a new coach right now.

Sani Toro says Eguavoen should keep going.
The former secretary general of the NFF said this about Eguavoen’s stay as coach: “On our way to qualifying for the World Cup, the most important thing is that there should be continuity in the coaching crew. Augustine Eguavoen remains the Acting Head Coach of the Super Eagles, and the players trust him, and he trusts them too.”

“Because of this, I’m confident that the Super Eagles will qualify. Now it’s up to the new Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to work together to make sure they have a plan to succeed and help the Super Eagles succeed.”

“Let’s forget about how the Eagles played in their last two AFCON qualifiers. As I said, the most important thing now is for the Super Eagles to qualify.” It will be possible to use other strategies after they qualify.Right now, we don’t have anything to do with getting a new coach. I’ll even say that no one can do anything. There will be a problem if you bring in a new coach now, so we need to stick with Eguavoen and the team. I don’t agree with that. Let him (Eguavoen) keep his job as the Super Eagles’ acting head coach.

“I pray that he gets the job.” If he meets the requirements, the NSC and NFF will look for a permanent coach. But for now, I want Eguavoen to stay as coach of the Super Eagles. Moving forward, we need to speak with one voice, because arguing will get us nowhere.

Eguavoen: To be or not to be?
Nigerians are confused about the huge problems the Super Eagles are facing in their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

People in the US, Mexico, and Canada who are crazy about football get chills just thinking about not being able to fly their national flag during the expanded World Cup. Some people have no idea how to get a football wizard with a magic wand to help their team get into the World Cup. While some optimists still think the job can be done, others, who call themselves realists, think it’s too late to change anything. A lot of people are suggesting hiring a coach from another country.

Akanni Waidi Akanni, a former Nigerian international and Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association, said, “We don’t need any foreign coach.” He was very clear when he said this.

“To tell you the truth, I believe Eguavoen should stay.” This is not because I know him; it is because of what he has done for the national team in the last two or three months. Everyone can see it. He let the less-important players play against Rwanda even though we didn’t need to win. This way, they could show what they could do and prove why they should be on the team.

That’s why I think they should let him keep doing what he’s doing. He could likely do more since he is also in charge of the Eagles who play at home for CHAN. I believe they should let Eguavoen keep going. There is a way for you to see what he did. The players pay attention to him, and he gets along well with them. Some might say we’re not getting good results, but we are getting results because we know better results are on the way.

“Again, I don’t believe Nigeria deserves to be in the World Cup.” Some people will want to put me on a cross for that. But I think we wouldn’t be panicking now if we had gotten off to a good start. Nigeria’s chances of making it to the World Cup are very, very slim. From what I know about the game, we need to win all of our remaining home games and hope that the current leaders, Rwanda and South Africa, lose one of their games. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

“South Africa and the other teams will also get ready, but so will Benin and Rwanda.” Also, they all want to go to the World Cup. But Nigeria could still make it, even though the odds are against them. That being said, why do we need a coach from another country? It’s not a sure thing that the coach you hire will be qualified, so why spend all that money? I still think it’s not possible.

“I think we should keep Eguavoen and let him keep doing what he’s been doing. That way, we can hopefully build a strong base for both the home Eagles and the Super Eagles that play abroad.”

The NFF is determined to hire a foreign coach because they think that foreign coaches are better at football skills than Nigerian coaches like Eguavoen.

“That doesn’t make sense to me because everyone has their own benefits.” Since they are from another country and we are from the same, I agree that they can connect us. Football goes around the world. I agree with that, but that doesn’t mean they’re technically better. There are different kinds of coaches. The technical skills they have are not all the same. Nigeria has some very good players right now, like Osimhen, Iwobi, Lookman, and others. You don’t bring in a bad coach because of the level of play these players have reached. Nigerian football needs a great coach that people know and that the players can respect and understand. This will help the team do better. That’s how I see it. But I’ll say it again: leave Eguavoen.

Nigeria needs some of the best coaches in the world.
“The world is a small place.” They can look into coaches around the world who are out of work. But there’s also the problem of coaches not getting paid when they should. That could also hurt our chances of getting a coach. I can only say, “Let’s keep what we have and make it better.” I need to take a look at what we have now. These people, who we call “local coaches,” are doing well on their own.

“Finidi George is back coaching a club, even though he didn’t do well with the national team. Daniel Amokachi is also back. I say give Amokachi the national team all to himself, I promise you you will see a huge difference.” I can vouch for that person. I think of Emmanuel Amuneke as a foreign coach since he didn’t live in Nigeria until recently.

He learnt how to be a coach outside of Spain, and now he lives in Barcelona. I believe it has something to do with our race and how we think. These guys need to stay fit. We need to get better at them and send them to training to learn new things about the game.

Concerns from different groups make one think that, all other things being equal, the Super Eagles can still make it to the 2026 World Cup. In reality, though, qualification is up to the players and coach—that is, if they can beat all odds and win their last six games. Nigerians would love to get qualified, but it’s getting harder and harder for the country to do so.

Based on the past, though, it’s hard to see how a team that hasn’t won six straight games in over a decade could do that now. But as the saying goes in football, anything can happen.