CAF set rules for four-team competition

Super Eagles Captain, William Troost-Ekong, has assured Nigerians that the team is focused on beating Gabon to win the 2026 World Cup playoff and therefore will not allow anything to distract them from the mission.
 
Many Nigerians were up in arms yesterday, criticising the “rundown” hotel camp provided by the organisers of the African playoff, which begins in Rabat, Morocco, on Thursday.
 
This followed a video by midfielder Alex Iwobi on X (formerly Twitter) showing the surroundings of the Super Eagles’ Rive Hotel camp, which some Nigerians described as unfit for a team dreaming of winning the African playoff.
 
Iwobi later explained that he did not post the video to criticise the organisers or the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which accepted the accommodation.
 
In the wake of this, Troost-Ekong assured Nigerians yesterday that the Super Eagles are leaving no room for error in their campaign, saying that nothing will distract them from winning the playoff.
 
Speaking to Olympics.com, Troost-Ekong said that he understands the importance of qualifying for the world’s biggest men’s football tournament to Nigerians, adding that despite failing to qualify directly in the initial round, he is determined to lead the team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
 
He said: “Playing at the World Cup for the second time would be a dream. In 2018, I fulfilled my childhood dream at just 23. Now, with more experience and maturity, I’m ready to lead this exciting generation of talent and go beyond what we achieved before.”
 
Reflecting on the team’s struggles during the qualifiers, the former Udinese and Watford defender acknowledged the frustration but praised the squad’s resilience.
 
He said: “We were disappointed not to qualify directly. The first five rounds were tough, and we had to play catch-up. But reaching the playoffs is still a significant achievement.
 
“The challenges over the last two to three years have strengthened us, and I believe we’re well-prepared for what lies ahead.”  On the opposition in Morocco, especially Gabon, which the Eagles will play against on Thursday, the Rio 2016 Olympics bronze medallist said: “Gabon is a strong team. Aubameyang continues to lead from the front, causing problems for defenders. I’ve played against him in Saudi Arabia, and I know what he brings. In Africa, you can’t underestimate any team, and we certainly won’t do that with Gabon.”

Should Nigeria advance, they will face either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final playoff match on 16 November to pick the sole ticket to the Intercontinental Playoffs in March 2026. Troost-Ekong believes the team’s unity and mental strength will be decisive in Morocco.
 
“We’ve built great chemistry, and the mindset in camp is positive. Although preparation time is short, we’re focused. It’s a one-off game on neutral ground, and we know we must win to reach the final playoff. There’s no room for error.”

Nigeria began preparations for the game against Gabon yesterday, with 14 players featuring in the morning session. These included Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, Tolu Arokodare, Olakunle Olusegun, Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon, William Troost-Ekong, Benjamin Frederick, Chidozie Awaziem and Amas Obasogie.
 
Also part of the morning session were Stanley Nwabali, Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman. The NFF disclosed that nine more players, including Victor Osimhen, were expected to join the squad for last night’s training session, while the rest of the squad would be available for today’s sessions.
 
Meanwhile, the African football ruling body, CAF, has revealed that the playoffs would adhere to several competition-specific rules designed to ensure fairness and consistency, with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) there to resolve any dispute arising from referees’ calls.
  
According to CAF’s guidelines for the competition, matches will be decided by extra time of 15-minute two halves if scores remain even at the end of regulation time.
 
At the end of the extra time, if there is still no winner, the game would be decided by a penalty shootout. The competition has room for five substitutions in regulation time, but should the game enter extra time, coaches are allowed to make one additional substitution. This, CAF said, will help the coaches manage fatigue during games.
  
The 2026 World Cup African playoff will begin on Thursday with Nigeria opening the competition against Gabon, while Cameroon and DR Congo will play in the second game the same day.
 
The winners of both games will meet on November 16, with the winner gaining the right to represent Africa in a FIFA inter-confederation playoff in Mexico next year.