The Nigeria national team is in danger of missing the World Cup, though the team can only blame itself for being in such a precarious position heading into the final stretch of the CAF qualifiers, where it’s all or nothing.

The Moment Nigeria Made a Critical Mistake

The national team, one of the most powerful in the Confederation of African Football (CAF), didn’t falter in their latest 1-1 draw against South Africa in Bloemfontein. Instead, their troubles began on the very first matchday of these qualifiers when they drew at home against Lesotho.

This was compounded by a draw on neutral ground against Zimbabwe and a last-minute goal conceded at home against the same team. A loss to Benin, despite taking the lead, further complicated their campaign.

The Super Eagles failed to secure better results against the rest of the group, which is why South Africa leads Group C in the standings, with Benin in second place.

There’s a sense of disappointment among Nigeria’s fans, as they can’t afford to drop points against opponents where even a draw was already considered a loss.

Nigeria Further Complicates Their World Cup Qualification

Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 took another hit after their 1-1 draw against South Africa. With just 11 points in eight matches, Nigeria has virtually no chance of reaching the continental playoff, even if they win their two remaining games.

After missing the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Super Eagles could once again be left out of the tournament to be played in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.