The race to secure a ticket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially begun for Nigeria’s Super Eagles, as captain William Troost-Ekong, defender Bruno Onyemaechi, and goalkeeper Amas Obasogie became the first players to arrive in Uyo on Monday, September 1.
The trio checked into the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in the morning, with Troost-Ekong and Obasogie touching down together, before Onyemaechi joined them later in the day. More members of the 23-man squad, invited by head coach Eric Chelle, are expected to trickle in ahead of the team’s first official training session.
The Super Eagles will kick off training on Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium’s practice pitch, with the full squad expected to regroup before their crucial World Cup qualifying fixtures against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s opponents are also preparing for the showdown. Rwanda’s advance party arrived in Lagos on Monday, with the full delegation scheduled to land in Lagos on Tuesday via a Rwanda Airlines flight, before heading to Uyo the same evening.
The competition in Group H remains fierce. South Africa leads the table with 13 points, pending FIFA’s ruling on an ineligible player in their March win over Lesotho. Rwanda and the Benin Republic follow closely with eight points each, while Nigeria currently sits in fourth place with seven points. Zimbabwe (four points) and Lesotho (six points) complete the standings.
For the Super Eagles, these fixtures are must-win games. Nigeria hosts Rwanda at home before travelling to Bloemfontein for a tough away clash against group leaders South Africa. Looking ahead to October, the Eagles will also face Lesotho away and the Benin Republic at home in what could decide their World Cup destiny.
With national pride at stake and the dream of another World Cup appearance on the line, the Super Eagles know there is no room for error.
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