Nigeria’s hopes of securing a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup took a heavy knock in Group C, yet former Super Eagles midfielder Friday Ekpo remains optimistic that the dream is still alive.
On Tuesday in Bloemfontein, the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw against South Africa, a result that momentarily pushed them up to second in the standings.
However, just a few hours later, Benin Republic swept aside Lesotho with a dominant 4-0 win in Cotonou, reclaiming second place and leaving Nigeria stuck in third with only two matches remaining.
South Africa currently top the group with 17 points, followed by Benin on 14, while Nigeria and Rwanda are tied on 11. Only the group leaders secure automatic qualification, while the four best runners-up across the African qualifiers stand a slim chance of progressing.
Despite the difficult position, former Super Eagles midfielder and 1992 Africa Cup of Nations bronze medalist Friday Ekpo has called on Nigerians to remain hopeful.
“The Super Eagles’ hope of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is not over yet,” the former Nigeria international told CompleteSports.
“The most important thing at the moment is for the team to win their remaining two games and hope other countries from other groups fail to get higher points.
“So, I still believe that the Super Eagles will make it to football’s biggest showpiece. The draw against South Africa doesn’t mean that we are out of the World Cup race. Until the final game, I am still optimistic Nigeria can qualify for the World Cup.”
Ex-Super Eagles Star Confident Nigeria Can Still Qualify Despite South Africa and Benin Setbacks
