Nigeria’s quest for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been handed a significant boost after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed a new adjustment to the qualification criteria following the withdrawal of Eritrea from the competition.
Eritrea’s exit from Group E created an imbalance in the qualification format, leaving only five teams in the group instead of six. In a circular dated March 14, 2025, CAF’s Director of Tournaments and Events, Samson Adamu, announced that results against the bottom-placed teams in each group will no longer count when comparing the best second-placed sides.
The rule change, aligned with Article 11.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary competition regulations, is aimed at ensuring fairness across all qualifying groups. This means that when deciding which four runners-up progress to the playoffs, points earned against the lowest-ranked or withdrawn teams will be excluded.
The development could have a major impact on Nigeria’s qualifying campaign. While countries like Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Madagascar, and Gabon may lose up to six points, the Super Eagles could benefit as they currently sit just outside the automatic qualification zone.
Having earned only two points against bottom-placed Zimbabwe, Nigeria’s relative standing could improve once the new calculation takes effect.
With two crucial matches remaining — against Lesotho and Benin — the Super Eagles now have renewed motivation to secure maximum points and revive their World Cup dreams.
CAF emphasized that the decision was necessary to maintain transparency, sporting integrity, and a level playing field for all participating nations.
