Super Eagles: Who are Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup playoff foes?

Nigeria’s Super Eagles must now take the scenic and far more perilous route to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after falling just short of automatic qualification despite a 4-0 demolition of Benin Republic in Uyo on Tuesday night.

Victor Osimhen turned in a performance befitting a former African Footballer of the Year, netting a magnificent hat-trick at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium to end Gernot Rohr’s return on a sour note. But the cheers in Uyo faded into quiet resignation as news filtered through from Mbombela: South Africa had swept aside Rwanda 3-0 to top Group C by a solitary point.

That result confirmed Bafana Bafana’s first World Cup appearance since 2010  when they hosted the tournament and condemned Nigeria to another anxious wait. Yet, there was a glimmer of fortune amid the frustration. Brentford’s Frank Onyeka, with a stoppage-time strike, ensured the Super Eagles finished among the four best runners-up in African qualifying, edging Burkina Faso on goal difference after both teams ended level on points.

Super Eagles to face Gabon in African World Cup play-offs

The Super Eagles now join Cameroon, DR Congo, and Gabon in the high-stakes CAF play-offs that will decide which African nation advances to the inter-confederation stage.

Gabon, ranked 79th in the world, clinched second place in Group F after a 2-00 win over Burundi but saw Ivory Coast’s victory over Kenya confirm the Elephants as group winners. DR Congo edged Sudan to secure the runners-up spot behind Senegal in Group B, while Cameroon’s draw with Libya in Group D saw them surrender top spot to Cape Verde who made history by qualifying for their maiden World Cup.

The play-off fixtures, set to be staged in Morocco, will pit Nigeria, the highest-ranked of the quartet at 45th in the world against Gabon in a one-legged semi-final on 13 November. The other tie will feature Cameroon (52nd) and DR Congo (60th). The winners will meet in a final on 16 November, with the victor progressing to the global play-offs. 

The final frontier: Inter-Confederation Play-offs in Mexico

Whoever emerges from Africa’s cauldron will head to Mexico in March 2026 for the inter-confederation play-offs, the last chance saloon before the World Cup proper. It will be a six-team shootout involving one nation each from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America, alongside two from the CONCACAF region.

New Caledonia (Oceania) and Bolivia (South America) have already booked their places. Honduras and Panama are on course to claim the North and Central American slots, while Asia’s representative will likely be either Oman or the United Arab Emirates.

FIFA’s format means the two highest-ranked teams will receive byes to the final round, while the remaining four contest one-off semi-finals. The winners then face the seeded pair, with the last two survivors sealing tickets to the expanded 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.