The schedule for the first two of the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s final six 2026 World Cup qualification games has been released by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF).
On March 17, the Super Eagles will go to Rwanda, and on March 24, they will play at home against Zimbabwe. Under the direction of new head coach Éric Chelle, this is the start of a crucial time for the team.
The Super Eagles are familiar with both opponents because they played Rwanda twice in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. They played to a goalless draw in September of last year, but Rwanda defeated Nigeria 2-1 in Uyo in November.
In a difficult match in November, Zimbabwe hosted Nigeria in the qualifying series before, ending in a 1-1 draw.
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With six games remaining in the qualification series, the Super Eagles are now in fifth place with three points after four games played, four points behind leaders Rwanda.
Coach Chelle has made it clear that obtaining a berth in the 2026 World Cup is his primary aim, despite the difficulty that lies ahead. In addition to getting ready for the forthcoming AFCON tournament in December, Chelle, who took over as head coach a few weeks ago, is concentrated on improving Nigeria’s World Cup qualification campaign when it returns in March.
“The players and the March games are my top priorities. We may turn our focus to the AFCON in October, but first we must focus on the World Cup qualifiers. Following the most recent AFCON draw in Morocco, Chelle said, “Winning these two games in March is essential.”
