2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Nigeria, Benin Republic in ‘Game of Death’ 

By Harry Awurumibe,  Editor -in-Chief,  Abuja

Never in recent memory  has a football match generated a lot of interest,  eliciting great debates and prompting mathematical calculations laced with several ‘ifs’, yet nobody can confidently predict how the group will end on the final Match Day than the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifier ties between host Nigeria and Group C leaders Benin Republic on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state; South Africa and Rwanda in

Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga and Lesotho and Zimbabwe at Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane in South Africa.

Of all the nine groups (A to I) since the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducted the draws for the 54-FIFA affiliated African nations two years ago, only Group C comprising Nigeria, South Africa, Benin Republic, Lesotho, Rwanda and Zimbabwe, has defied predictions of how the group will end until the final whistles in the three match venues in Nigeria and South Africa on Tuesday.

Ironically, many pundits had predicted that one of the African powerhouses in football, Nigeria, will have an easy ride to winning Group C because the West African nation was drawn with “minors” like Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Benin Republic and Rwanda.

It was thought that the three-time African Cup of Nations winners, Nigeria, will be one of the African countries to qualify effortlessly because the likes of tough nations such as Morocco, Algeria,  Tunisia, Ghana, Senegal and Ivory Coast to mention just a few were not in Nigeria’s group.

However, Nigeria bungled her chances of starting the qualification journey on a bright note by playing out a 1-1 draw with a hapless Lesotho in Match Day 1 officiated by Mehrez Malki of  Tunisia on November 16, 2023 at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo with defender Semilogo Ajayi’s 67′ pegging back the visitors who went in front on the day courtesy of Tabone Mkwanazi’s 56′ goal.

The match was handled by former Super Eagles gaffer José Gomes Peseiro, who also oversaw Match Day 2 on  November 19, 2023, between Zimbabwe and Nigeria, which also ended 1-1 after Kelechi Iheanacho’s 67′ cancelled Wisdom Musona’s 26′ goal for Zimbabwe at Stade Huye, Butare in Rwanda, with only 2,876 fans in attendance. The referee was Souleiman Ahmed Djama from Djibouti.

Not satisfied with the results of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers coupled with other issues with Peseiro, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) decided to do away with the Portuguese tactician immediately after the 2024 AFCON in Ivory Coast where Nigeria finished in the second position.

The federation later advertised the position of the head coach of the senior male football team of Nigeria, with many qualified candidates applying for the plum job, including ex-international, former African Player of the Year, Olympic Gold Medallist and FIFA U-17 World Cup winner as assistant and head coach of the Golden Eaglets, Emmanuel Amuneke, but he was snubbed and his former teammate George Finidi picked to lead Nigeria.

Fresh from his appointment, which raised much debate, Finidi and his squad continued where Peseiro stopped by leading the Super Eagles to another 1-1 draw in Match Day 3 played on June 7, 2024, against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo with the visitors scoring first through Mbane Zwane in the 29′ while Dele-Bashiru’s 46′ goal saved the day for Nigeria. Referee Alhadi Allaou Mahamat from Chad officiated the encounter.

If Finidi and his boys escaped defeat in Uyo against South Africa, they fell to Benin Republic on June 10, 2024, at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan in Ivory Coast venue of Match Day 4 officiated by Pierre Atcho of Gabon despite Nigeria scoring first in three previous matches after midfielder Raphael Onyedika’s  27′ goal.

But Cheetahs of Benin Republic fought back to equalize through Jordan Dossou in 37′ while captain Jasper Mounié scored the winner in the 45+3′ to end the match 2–1in favour of Benin Republic handled by former Super Eagles gaffer Gernot Rohr.

Against the backlash of the mediocre performances of the Super Eagles under the leadership of Finidi, the NFF and the former Real Betis legend parted ways as the  federation hired Franco-Malian Eric Seoku Chelle to continue where Peseiro and Finidi stopped but the results are neither here or there.

Nevertheless, coach Chelle’s Super Eagles flattered to deceive when they went away to Rwanda earlier in the year to beat The Wasps 2-0 on March 21, 2025, at Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, with referee Jalal Jayed from Morocco presiding over the match.

Former African Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, scored a  brace in the 11′ and 45+3′ respectively to help Nigeria get the first full points in as many matches in the qualifiers. He scored again three days later when Nigeria hosted Zimbabwe in Uyo on March 25, but his 74′ goal  was later cancelled by Roberts Chirewa’s 90′ goal in the tie handled by referee Tsegay Mogos Teklu of Eritrea.

Chelle’s Super Eagles have also grinded out 1-0 victory over Rwanda on 6 September 6, 2025, thanks to  Tolu Arokodare’s  51′ at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, with referee Alhadi Allaou Mahamat of Chad in charge of proceedings.

They have followed it up with a near damaging 1-1 with South Africa on September 9, 2025, no thanks to captain Williams Troost-Ekong’s 25′ own goal and Calvin Bassey’s  44′ goal at a very bad Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, under the watchful eyes of referee Pierre Atcho from Gabon.

Meanwhile,  Group C was blown open recently when leaders South Africa suffered a deduction of three points after the Rainbow Nation breached FIFA’s competition rule by fielding an ineligible player. This ensured that Benin Republic overtook South Africa on the log and after winning 1-0 away against Rwanda last week, the Cheetahs now have 17 points to South Africa’s 15 points after a barren draw at home with Zimbabwe while Nigeria is on 14 points after beating Lesotho 2-1 away in South Africa.

Nigeria knew that only a victory against Lesotho would keep them in the hunt, and captain William Troost-Ekong broke the deadlock in 55′ in neutral Polokwane pitch from the penalty spot early in the second half after Moses Simon’s shot hit the hand of Motlomelo Mkwanazi.

Debutant Akor Adams later doubled the advantage with a clinical finish in the 80′,  seemingly putting Nigeria in control. Lesotho responded in the 83′  with a goal from Leslie Kalake, but the Super Eagles held firm to secure the crucial three points.

Now, with Rwanda, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe already eliminated, Benin Republic, South Africa, and Nigeria are left to fight for the first and probably second spots in Group C on the final day and this is where the permutations started last weekend.

As stated earlier, this group is full of “ifs” because the result of the match in one  centre may determine or may not determine the outcome of the other games in other matches. This is how complicated the matches involving Nigeria and Benin Republic are on one hand, and South Africa and Rwanda in the other have become at the moment.

To be clear, Nigeria will be pulling the chestnuts out of the fire if the country edges out Benin Republic and South Africa on Tuesday to

pick up the sole Group C ticket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

But this can only be possible if Nigeria defeats Benin Republic by two goals and hoping that South Africa did not beat Rwanda in their crucial tie on the same day because if Nigeria defeats Benin Republic and South Africa also win their match against Rwanda by any margin, both Nigeria and Benin Republic will finish on 17 points each while South Africa will top the group with 18 points.

It is, therefore, safe to say that with only one game remaining in the group, the Super Eagles’ fate is not entirely in their hands as Nigeria will definitely need help from Rwanda to emulate Zimbabwe by playing a match of their lives to either draw or beat South Africa in their last match for prestige sake while Nigeria engage Benin Republic in what will be literally code named “Game of Death” as captured in the 1978 movie by Bruce Lee, a Hong Kong-American martial artist, actor and filmmaker who popularised Kung-fu.

In deed, it will be a win or burst for the Super Eagles as Nigerians including this writer, can’t afford another heartbreak if Nigeria fails to qualify for two FIFA World Cup finals in a row after the country failed to qualify for Qatar 2022.

*How Things Stand in Group C*:

Benin – 17 points, +5 GD

South Africa – 15 points, +3 GD

Nigeria – 14 points, +3 GD

Rwanda – 11 points, -1 GD — ELIMINATED

Lesotho – 9 points, -4 GD — ELIMINATED

Zimbabwe – 5 points, -6 GD — ELIMINATED

African (CAF) 2026 World Cup qualification format

First round (November 15, 2023 – Oct. 14 2025): 54 teams, nine groups, top team from each group qualifies for World Cup, four best runners-up go to playoff semifinals.

Second round (November 10-18, 2025): Four best group runners-up stage semifinal, final.

 Winner plays inter-confederation playoff.