‘Super Eagles need total support to qualify for 2026 World Cup’
An official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said that the Super Eagles Manager, Eric Sekou Chelle, will release the final list of players for the forthcoming U.S., Canada, and Mexico 2026 World Cup qualifying games against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
Nigeria will meet Rwanda on March 21 in Kigali and host Zimbabwe on March 25, in Uyo.
According to an official, who pleaded anonymity, the NFF has already sent out letters to the chosen players, just as arrangements have been made for their flights to Kigali.
“The chosen players will fly directly to Kigali from their bases, as they did when we played against Benin Republic in Abidjan.
“The NFF has ensured that nothing would stop anybody picked for the game from getting to Kigali on time because this is a game we must win to remain in contention for the World Cup ticket,” he said.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles Skipper, Ahmed Musa, who currently plays for Kano Pillars in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), has canvassed a holistic approach to the prosecution of the national team’s remaining 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.
Nigeria will travel to Rwanda for its fifth game in the qualifying series on March 21, and return to Uyo to host Zimbabwe on March 25.
Speaking in Ilorin before his team’s NPFL game against Kwara United on Sunday, Musa said that it would amount to a colossal failure for Nigerian football if the nation fails to make it to the 2026 World Cup finals.
He said: “A whole generation of talented players would be lost and it would weaken the confidence of upcoming players for the country.”
Fielding questions from journalists at the Taiwo Awoniyi Sports Media Centre/SWAN Secretariat, Ilorin, Musa also heaped plaudits on Nottingham Forest ace, Awoniyi, for helping the sports writers complete a functional work secretariat.
He said: “The Super Eagles are in a very difficult situation right now, but we believe in ourselves that we can still scale through. The Super Eagles cannot be absent from the 2026 World Cup. It is going to be a big disaster for Nigerian players not to be at the World Cup.”
The Super Eagles are currently in the fifth position in Group C with South Africa, Rwanda, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and the Benin Republic.
Musa picked the Rwanda game as the potential turning point for the Super Eagles, saying: “If we can get the three points from that match, it’s going to be a turning point for us.
“But it is not just a job for the Super Eagles alone. Every Nigerian must be involved because we need their support,” he said.
On Awoniyi’s generosity to sports journalists in Kwara State, Musa said: “I am going to say a very big thank you to my younger brother, Taiwo Awoniyi for this magnificent building he has built for SWAN. Every footballer needs to learn from what Awoniyi has done.”
He also has kind words for the organisers of the Nigerian Premier Football League, which he credited for making the environment safe for good teams to thrive.
“Back in the days, you could never go to an away game and win like you saw in the match between Lobi and Ikorodu United, where the home team lost to the Lagos side,” Musa said. “It shows that we are growing the right way.”
