|By Christopher Ayeni
Following the recent 3 points deduction from South Africa’s Bafana Bafana for fielding an ineligible player, Nigeria’s Super Eagles have been handed a staggering lifeline in their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The ruling, which overturned Bafana Bafana’s 2–0 victory over Lesotho into a 3–0 defeat, has reshaped the dynamics of Group C and reopened qualification hopes for Nigeria.
The development came after South African midfielder Teboho Mokoena was found guilty of featuring in the March qualifier despite being suspended for accumulated yellow cards. The sanction saw South Africa drop crucial points, allowing Benin Republic to climb to the top of the table on goal difference, while Nigeria and Rwanda sit close behind with 11 points each.
Group C features Benin Republic, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe; with the Super Eagles recording three wins, three losses, and two draws from their last eight qualifying matches. The deduction has narrowed the points gap, offering Nigeria a chance to revive their World Cup participation hopes.
Any possible chances?
Despite the points deduction, there seems not to be a chance for the Super Eagles to qualify, except they win their remaining two matches against Lesotho and Benin Republic, and the other rivals dropping points.
The battle for Group C’s top spot therefore remains widely open. While automatic qualification still appears impossible, the Super Eagles can now target a second-place finish and a possible playoff route to secure a spot.
Super Eagles will face Lesotho for their 9th match of the group on the 10th of October, before playing host to Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on the 14th of October with high hopes of qualifying.
