A defender for the Super Eagles, Kenneth Omeruo, has affirmed the team’s determination to exert maximum effort in pursuit of victory when the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers recommence in June.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has reported that the Super Eagles’ contingent, after participating in friendly matches against Ghana and Mali in Marrakech, departed Morocco on Wednesday. Most of the players flew back to their bases in Europe.
Following the disappointment of the unexpected loss to Mali, team captain Omeruo reassured that the players were resolute in their determination to strive for victory when the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers resume in June.
Nigeria is scheduled to face the Bafana Bafana in Uyo and then play against Benin Republic away from home during the international window of June 3–11, corresponding to Match Days 3 and 4 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
“We went into the match against Mali determined to win, just as we did against Ghana.
“In the end, they took their chances, and we failed to take ours. That’s football. You just have to take the chances that come your way.
“Having said that June is only a few weeks away, and we are focused on the matches against South Africa and the Benin Republic.
“Many players in the group have not played at the World Cup before and they see this as a big opportunity to be there.
“We cannot afford to let ourselves and the nation down,” Omeruo said.
According to NAN, Nigeria currently holds the third position in Group C, having garnered two points from two matches played thus far. They are level with Lesotho and Zimbabwe, both of whom also have two points each.
Rwanda leads the table with four points, closely followed by South Africa with three points. Benin occupies the bottom spot with one point.
The top team from each of the nine groups will secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while one of the best-performing runners-up will advance to the FIFA Play-off tournament.
The Africa Zone (CAF) qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup commenced on November 15, 2023, and are anticipated to conclude in November 2025.