The Super Eagles have kept their World Cup hopes alive after a dominant 4-0 victory over Benin on Tuesday, ensuring they remain in contention for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Nigeria’s star forward Victor Osimhen led the charge with a superb hat-trick, while Frank Onyeka sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal. The emphatic result allowed Nigeria to leapfrog Benin and finish second in Group C, which went down to the wire.
Benin, who started the day at the top of the group, needed to avoid a heavy defeat to progress but were dismantled in Uyo. However, Nigeria’s automatic qualification hopes were dashed as South Africa defeated Rwanda 3-0 in Mbombela to finish as group leaders.
Under the CAF qualification format, only the nine group winners secure automatic tickets to the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The four best runners-up advance to a continental play-off round, while the remaining teams are eliminated.
Nigeria’s strong performance and Onyeka’s late goal ensured they finished among the top four runners-up, narrowly edging Burkina Faso on goal difference.
The Super Eagles will now compete in the CAF play-off semi-finals, which will be held on neutral ground in Morocco on November 13. The two winners from these one-legged ties will advance to a final on November 16, with the victor moving on to represent Africa in the inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico next March.
The semi-final pairings will be determined by FIFA’s world rankings update on October 23, matching the highest-ranked team with the lowest, and the second-highest with the third. Based on current standings, Nigeria are expected to face Gabon, while Cameroon will play DR Congo.
In March 2026, six teams from five confederations will compete in the inter-confederation play-offs, with two final World Cup spots up for grabs. If Nigeria navigate their CAF play-off successfully, they will advance to this crucial stage — one step away from booking their ticket to football’s biggest stage.
With momentum on their side and Osimhen in top form, Nigeria’s journey to the 2026 World Cup is still very much alive.
