Eagles Miss Out on 2026 FIFA World Cup Playoff Route

Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup via the intercontinental playoffs have officially been dashed, even before their final two group matches are played.

With just 11 points from eight games, the Super Eagles can only reach a maximum of 17 points if they win both remaining fixtures against Lesotho and Benin Republic.

Unfortunately for the three-time African champions, that tally falls short of the current benchmark set by the top four second-placed teams across the qualifying groups.

Gabon and Madagascar lead the runners-up standings with 19 points each, while Burkina Faso and Cameroon follow closely with 18 points apiece.

This development means Nigeria’s only remaining path to the World Cup is by winning Group C outright. However, that challenge is steep, with both Benin and South Africa sitting three points ahead of the Super Eagles.

Complicating matters further is the lack of clarity surrounding Eritrea’s withdrawal from the qualifiers.

Neither CAF nor FIFA has issued a formal statement on how the uneven number of teams across groups will affect the final rankings of runners-up.

Current Runners-Up Standings:

Gabon (Group F): 19 points from 8 matches

Madagascar (Group I): 19 points from 9 matches

Burkina Faso (Group A): 18 points from 9 matches

Cameroon (Group D): 18 points from 9 matches

With the playoff door now closed, Nigeria must deliver flawless performances in their final two matches and hope results elsewhere go their way to keep their World Cup dream alive.