Nigeria’s leading goalscorer in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Victor Osimhen, has declared that qualifying for the tournament is a non-negotiable target for the Super Eagles, Footynaija.com reports.
Despite a shaky start to their campaign, Nigeria are still in the race with four games left to play in Group C. The Super Eagles have picked up just 7 points from 6 matches, leaving them fourth in the group, six points behind leaders South Africa, and one point behind both Rwanda and Benin.
The Super Eagles’ only win so far came in Kigali, where Osimhen bagged a brace in a 2–0 win over Rwanda. But the team’s inability to convert draws into wins has left them with serious ground to cover.
Speaking in a recent interview, reported by Legit.ng, the Napoli striker, who is on the verge of finalising a permanent move to Galatasaray, expressed belief in the squad and insisted that qualification remains achievable.
“Nigeria can still qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and I say it not with pride or ego. I believe so much in this team, coaching crew, backroom staff and the Nigeria Football Federation,” Osimhen said.
“It is not going to be easy, no team is a pushover, but we are going to give everything and at the end of the day, Super Eagles will stand a chance to qualify because we have to be there.”
The 26-year-old forward, who has scored 3 goals in this qualifying campaign, also said that the upcoming fixtures would define Nigeria’s path.
“It is a must to be there, but we have a long way to go, and the next two games are really important, so we have to give everything.”
Nigeria are scheduled to face Rwanda and South Africa in September, before wrapping up their group stage matches against Lesotho and Benin in October. With only the group winners guaranteed a spot at the World Cup, and the best four runners-up heading to the CAF playoff round, Nigeria’s margin for error has completely vanished.
Only nine African teams will qualify automatically, and one may still qualify through the intercontinental playoffs.