The Super Eagles are set to miss back-to-back FIFA World Cups, as they sit third in their group…
Former Nigeria and West Brom striker Brown Ideye has expressed his frustration with the Super Eagles‘ struggles in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles are set to miss out on a second consecutive World Cup, as they sit four points behind group leaders Benin, with just two games left in Group C.
Nigeria has been disappointing, dropping points against Benin, Lesotho, and South Africa.
As it stands, only a miracle will see the three-time African champions through, as both Benin and South Africa have to drop points.
The last round of games in the World Cup Qualifiers for CAF will be played this month, with Nigeria set to take on Lesotho and Benin. This means that the Super Eagles will soon know their fate.
Ahead of the games scheduled for next week, former Super Eagles striker Ideye, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, has expressed his frustration at the current situation with the qualifiers.
“Not in our hands anymore, just win these two games and pray South Africa drop points, which I don’t see them doing. How did we get here? Question I ask myself sometimes,” Ideye said.
Can The Super Eagles Still Qualify For The 2026 World Cup?
At this point, a camel would literally have to pass through the eye of a needle for Nigeria to qualify for the next World Cup.
Although the Super Eagles were given a boost last week, when FIFA announced a punishment for South Africa for fielding an ineligible player, the biggest beneficiaries were actually Benin.
For Nigeria to make the Mundial, they have to pray that South Africa pick just one point from their next two games against Zimbabwe and Rwanda. But that is very unlikely, as both games will be played in South Africa.
Then, even if that happens, Nigeria have to also hope that Benin lose or draw against Rwanda, while they have to now beat Benin when Gernot Rohr and his boys visit the Godswill Akpabio.
The chances of qualifying for the playoffs are also slim, because the least ranked teams have 15 points each, and there are actually five of them.
The Super Eagles will likely have to wait until 2030－if they qualify－to play World Cup football again.