2026 World Cup appearance still possible for Super Eagles – Ex-NFF boss Pinnick
By Tosin Omojola –
Despite walking on a tightrope, with few matches left to round off the qualifying series, Nigeria’s Super Eagles can still make it to the 2026 World Cup.
That was the opinion of the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Melvin Pinnick.
According to Pinnick, the Super Eagles’ poor start in the campaign notwithstanding, qualification can still be sealed with the remaining games.
Buttressing his belief, the former Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission referred to the 2018 scenario, in which Nigeria overcame strong opposition to qualify for the mundial, held in Russia, against all odds.
“In 2018, nobody gave us a chance. We were grouped with Cameroon, Algeria, who were unbeaten then in nearly 20 years, and Zambia, who were very strong then, but we scaled through. That’s why I still have faith in this team; it is never over until it is over,” declared the ex-NFF boss.
Nigeria currently sit fourth in Group D with seven points from six matches, trailing the Benin Republic, Rwanda, and South Africa.
With only a few games left, any slip could see the team miss the World Cup for the second time in a row.
The Super Eagles will resume their qualification journey next month with a home match against Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on September 6, before travelling to Blomfointen for a crucial face off with group leaders, Bafana Bafana of South Africa three days later.
