Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup suffered a huge blow on Tuesday night, but former Super Eagles midfielder Friday Ekpo says there is still hope.
The Super Eagles could only manage a 1-1 draw with South Africa in Bloemfontein, a result that briefly moved them into second place in Group C. But later that evening, Benin Republic crushed Lesotho 4-0 in Cotonou to leapfrog Nigeria back into second spot.
With just two games left, South Africa lead the group on 17 points, Benin are second with 14, while Nigeria and Rwanda sit on 11 points each. Only the group winners qualify automatically, while the best four runners-up across the groups have a slim chance of advancing.
Despite the setback, Ekpo, who won bronze with Nigeria at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations, urged fans not to lose faith.
“The Super Eagles’ hope of qualifying is not over yet,” he told Complete Sports. “What matters now is for the team to win their remaining two games and hope other countries don’t finish with higher points. Until the final game is played, I still believe Nigeria can qualify.”
Benin’s victory, however, highlighted the challenge ahead. Coached by former Nigeria boss Gernot Rohr, the Cheetahs were ruthless against Lesotho. Brest striker Steve Mounié punished a defensive mistake to score the opener, then assisted Andreas Hountondji for the second. Hassane Imourane’s deflected strike made it 3-0 before half-time, and Junior Olaitan added a fourth after the break.
For Nigeria, the task is now clear but tough. They must beat both Rwanda and Benin in October and hope results elsewhere go their way. Failure to do so would mean missing back-to-back World Cups for the first time since their debut in 1994.