Sports: Super Eagles Hopeful Of 2026 World Cup
Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has said Nigeria still harbours hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite the uncertainty surrounding the team’s campaign.
Speaking during an interview on SuperSport Football on Thursday, the 29-year-old reflected on the emotional toll of the qualification race and the dilemma the team would face if forced to choose between continental glory and a World Cup ticket.
Asked whether Nigeria would trade an Africa Cup of Nations title for qualification to the global showpiece, Iwobi said the differing experiences within the squad complicated the decision.
“I mean, we’re still waiting; hopefully, we can go to the World Cup,” he said.
“But I feel it’s a tough one. It’s a tough one because winning AFCON is a great legacy, a great thing to have in your career, a memorable moment.
“But at the same time, because I’ve been to the World Cup already, a lot of the players haven’t. They would like to say, ‘I want to go to the World Cup.’ So I can’t be selfish and say, “win the AFCON” and have my teammates not go to the World Cup. So it’s a tough one.”
Iwobi, who featured for Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, said the desire of many players to experience football’s biggest stage continues to weigh heavily on the squad.
His comments came after Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 campaign in Morocco, held between December 2025 and January 2026, ended with the Super Eagles exiting the tournament before the final.
Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes suffered a setback following a 1–1 draw with DR Congo in the playoff final in Rabat, with the Leopards advancing after a 4–3 penalty shootout win to secure a place in the inter-confederation playoffs scheduled for March 2026.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has since lodged a petition with FIFA, alleging that several DR Congo players were ineligible to feature in the match.
However, DR Congo’s football authorities have rejected the claims, insisting that all players were cleared by FIFA and urging that the result be respected.
As of late January, FIFA was still reviewing the petition, with Nigerian supporters hopeful that a favourable ruling could reopen the Super Eagles’ path to the 2026 World Cup.
Officials at the NFF are said to be awaiting FIFA’s decision amid uncertainty over Nigeria’s route to the tournament.
