Nwabali Vows Super Eagles Will Fight Till the End in World Cup Race
Goalkeeper urges fans to stay hopeful as Nigeria eyes late qualification push
By Agu Emma
Sports Correspondent
LAGOS — Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has issued a rallying call to fans and a firm warning to Group C rivals, Rwanda and South Africa, insisting that Nigeria remains firmly in the hunt for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite a stuttering start to the qualifiers.
Speaking to Soccernet.ng, the Chippa United shot-stopper admitted that the path to qualification has become more difficult, but he believes the Super Eagles can still turn things around with four crucial matches remaining.
“It’s football — being Nigeria doesn’t automatically mean we’ll beat everyone,” Nwabali said. “We still have a good chance to qualify despite our current position. We’re focused on the next game, and we’ll keep pushing to turn things around.”
Nigeria currently sits fourth in Group C with just seven points from six matches — a tally that includes one win, four draws, and one loss. South Africa tops the group with 13 points, while Rwanda and Benin both sit ahead of Nigeria with eight points each.
With 12 points still up for grabs, the Super Eagles are banking on a strong finish to the campaign to avoid the heartbreak of missing consecutive World Cups. Nigeria’s next assignment is a high-stakes double-header in September — a must-win home fixture against Rwanda, followed by a challenging away clash with group leaders South Africa.
The campaign will conclude in October with an away tie against Lesotho and a home showdown against Benin — a team that shocked the Eagles with a 2-1 victory earlier in the qualifiers.
Having missed out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Nigeria is under immense pressure to qualify for the expanded 48-team tournament to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
The Super Eagles have appeared in six of the last eight World Cups and reached the Round of 16 in 1994, 1998, and 2014. Nwabali, who rose to prominence during Nigeria’s impressive 2023 AFCON campaign, believes the team still has the quality and spirit to extend that legacy.
