Nigeria’s poor start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign continued in their two most recent matches, being held to a draw by South Africa and falling to a shock defeat against Benin.
Those results have left the Super Eagles with just three points from four matches and, at the time of writing, they sit fifth in the table having played a game more than every other side except Benin.
They are one of just two teams in Group C that have failed to come out victorious in any of their games thus far, alongside bottom-of-the-table Zimbabwe, and Nigeria are in real danger of failing to qualify for their second successive World Cup finals.
Tough ask
Finidi George’s men must now win all six of their remaining games to guarantee themselves a place at the 2026 World Cup, but based on their performances in the opening four games that is extremely wishful thinking.
Nigeria’s struggles in the World Cup qualifiers will come as a shock to many football fans across the globe after their success in the Africa Cup of Nations, which saw them go all the way to the final before falling to a devastating defeat to hosts Ivory Coast.
Their route to the final saw Nigeria stray from their natural attacking instincts and instead excel in the defensive areas, something that led to them conceding just four times in the seven games they played in the tournament.
No honeymoon period for George
With Jose Peseiro departing from the managerial position following the tournament, the role was given to George, largely on the basis that he had worked with the side throughout the competition and would likely stick to the same formula that had seen them progress into the final.
That has certainly not been the case though as Nigeria have swerved away from Peseiro’s disciplined back three structure and replaced it with a faulty back four, leading to the Super Eagles conceding three times in the last two outings.
An inspiring second-half performance against South Africa provided promise that they would be back to their best in the encounter with Benin but outside of the first half-hour their opponents bossed the tie.
A shocking lack of urgency was present for the duration of the game, shockingly demonstrated in the dying minutes of the game when the ball was played back to Stanley Nwabali and the players just stood around looking like they would rather be anywhere else than on the pitch.
While qualification into the World Cup could still be achieved with a quick turnaround of results in their next set of qualifiers, that lack of character on display in their most recent outing is the most concerning factor for the Super Eagles fans that is leading many to believe they may not have what it takes to turn things around.
Will Nigeria still make it to the 2026 World Cup? Comment below with your thoughts!
