2026 World Cup Race: Eagles focused on three points against Warriors

Posted : 24 March 2025

The Super Eagles expect to rise to nine points and fully re-enter contention for a 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket after Tuesday’s African Qualification Series Matchday 6 encounter against the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Team captain William Ekong reiterated on Monday afternoon that the three-time African champions will seek to control the game the way they did against Rwanda in Kigali on Friday, and then work hard to score the goals that will give them the three points and firmly establish them as one of the contenders for the ticket.

“We are looking forward to a win. The three points are important to us. At this stage, we cannot afford to drop any more points.

"Our aim is to take it one match at a time, collect three points here and there, and hope fervently that these will be enough to get us the ticket.”

Without a win in their first four games of the series, Nigeria languished in fifth place in the six-team group C and remained in a perilous situation until Friday’s robust win over Rwanda in Kigali, which threw them up as a contender for the ticket to the finals.

Nigeria, with six points, moved up to fourth position, while Zimbabwe, with three points, propped up the table and will seek to increase their tally in Tuesday’s encounter.

The Warriors’ 45-man contingent, led by ZIFA Vice President Kennedy Ndebele, landed at the Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo on Friday afternoon, 85 minutes after the arrival of the Super Eagles’ contingent from Kigali.

While the Warriors trained at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Sunday morning, the Super Eagles trained at the same venue in the evening, watched by some members of the NFF Executive Committee, General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, SSA to the President Mr. Anthony Adeyinka Adeboye, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports Etubom Paul Bassey, former NFF General Secretary Barr. Musa Amadu, and some officials of the NSC and the NFF.

World football-governing body FIFA has appointed Eritrean official Teklu Mogos Tsegay as the referee, with his compatriots as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2, and fourth official. Ghanaian Prosper Harrison Addo will be the commissioner, while Paulin Ilboudo from Burkina Faso will serve as the referee assessor.

Leaders South Africa, with 10 points, square off against second-placed Benin Republic, with eight points, at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan in a match starting simultaneously with that of Uyo.

Lesotho, now in fifth place following their defeat by South Africa on Friday, will tackle Rwanda’s Amavubi at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium in the last match of Group C.

2026 World Cup Race: Eagles focused on three points against Warriors

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