Nigeria’s World Cup hopes are in jeopardy as the Super Eagles trail Benin by five points in Group C after a 2-2 draw with Zimbabwe. With a must-win clash against Rwanda looming, Nigeria faces a historic challenge, having never won in Kigali. A loss could end their qualification hopes.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles find themselves in an increasingly precarious position in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after slipping five points behind Group C leaders Benin Republic. The latest setback came as Benin played out a 2-2 draw against Zimbabwe, strengthening their grip at the top of the group.
Heading into matchday five, Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin were locked at seven points apiece, while Nigeria languished in fifth place with just three points. A Zimbabwe victory would have pushed the Super Eagles to the bottom of the table, but a dramatic contest in Durban saw the Warriors come from two goals down to secure a draw.
Benin initially took control with first-half strikes from Steve Mounié and Dodo Dokou, but Zimbabwe fought back through Marshall Munetsi and veteran captain Knowledge Musona to salvage a crucial point. The result, however, was still a blow to Nigeria, as Benin now sits alone at the summit while South Africa and Rwanda await their own fixture against Lesotho.
For the Super Eagles, the stakes have never been higher. Their next challenge comes in Kigali, where they face Rwanda in a must-win encounter. A victory could reduce the deficit to two points, but history offers little comfort—Nigeria has never beaten Rwanda away from home.
With their World Cup qualification hopes already hanging by a thread, failure to secure maximum points in Kigali could push Nigeria further toward an early exit from the 2026 tournament.
