Super Eagles skipper William Troost Ekong has expressed confidence that Nigeria will give their all at next month’s CAF Playoff Tournament in Morocco, as the team sets its sights on securing a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, the defender said the squad remains in high spirits following Tuesday’s emphatic 4-0 win over Benin Republic in Uyo, a result that sealed their place in the playoffs.
“We’re grateful for another chance to qualify. It’s not the straightforward route we wanted, but it’s still a path to the World Cup,” Troost Ekong said. “We’ll face whatever comes our way with strength and unity. Tuesday’s victory showed how much everyone wants this, each player gave everything.”
Despite the dominant performance, Nigeria narrowly missed out on an automatic qualification spot from Group C. Their fate was sealed after Rwanda fell apart against South Africa in Nelspruit, echoing the heartbreak of 2005 when Angola’s late winner over Rwanda denied the Super Eagles a ticket to the 2006 World Cup despite a big win over Zimbabwe.
In Uyo, Victor Osimhen led the charge with a sensational hat trick, while Frank Onyeka came off the bench to add a fourth goal in the closing minutes, rounding off one of Nigeria’s best performances of the campaign.
Next month’s CAF Playoff Tournament will see Nigeria face Angola’s Palancas Negras in the opening semifinal on Thursday, November 13, while Cameroon battles DR Congo in the second semifinal a day later. Winners of both matches will meet in the final on Sunday, November 16, with the victor advancing to the Intercontinental Playoffs in Mexico next March.
At that stage, six teams including Africa’s representative, Bolivia, New Caledonia, the winner between Iraq and the UAE, and two from Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Panama will compete for two remaining World Cup slots.
