By Ayobami Okerinde

Following a 1-1 draw against South Africa on Friday in Uyo, the Super Eagles face the risk of not qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup if they fail to defeat Benin Republic on Monday.

Nigeria has yet to secure a win in the World Cup qualifiers, managing consecutive 1-1 draws against Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, respectively.

They currently sit fifth out of six teams in Group C, with just three points from as many matches, and are only one point above bottom-placed Zimbabwe.

Ahead of Monday’s clash, Finidi George must ensure his side secures maximum points against Benin Republic, led by former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.

Under the new qualification format, failing to secure first place will automatically disqualify Nigeria from the World Cup, or they could face a longer route if they emerge as one of the four best group runners-up.

Despite their fifth position on the table, Nigeria trails table-toppers Lesotho by just two points. Any result other than a win could widen this gap further as the first leg fixtures for the qualifiers conclude.

The Super Eagles will face Benin in Abidjan on Monday as they aim to revitalize their World Cup qualifying campaign before it pauses until March 2025.

Format Change

On January 10, 2017, the FIFA Council unanimously decided to expand the World Cup from 32 to a 48-team tournament for the 2026 edition and beyond. This format change, last seen at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, was introduced at the 1998 edition in France.

With FIFA’s decision, the slot for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) increased from five teams to nine, with one inter-confederation play-off slot reserved.

On May 19, 2023, CAF announced a new qualification format, with teams drawn into nine groups of six teams. The winner of each group will directly qualify for the World Cup, while the four best group runners-up will participate in play-offs to determine which team advances to the inter-confederation play-offs.

The winning team from CAF will engage in a play-off tournament involving six teams from other confederations to decide the last two FIFA World Cup places.

The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.