Nigeria’s Super Eagles will square off against Gabon in the semi-finals of the African zone play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following the conclusion of the group stage on Tuesday.

In football, “play-off” refers to either an extra game played to break a tie at the end of a match or a series of games played after the regular season to determine a champion. These are high-stakes games to decide a winner when teams have the same score, or they are played between the leading teams to determine the ultimate champion.

The mini-tournament will be held in Morocco from November 13 to 16, featuring Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and DR Congo.

The three-time African champions stormed into the play-offs with an emphatic 4–0 thrashing of the Benin Republic, sealing second place in their qualifying group.

Gabon also booked their spot after a 2–0 win over Burundi, aided by the Ivory Coast’s victory against Kenya, which left the Panthers in second place in Group F.

Elsewhere, DR Congo edged Sudan 1–0 to finish runners-up to Senegal in Group B, while Cameroon clinched second place in Group D behind Cape Verde, rounding out the four best runners-up heading to the play-offs.

The format will see the two semi-final winners face off in a single-leg final for a ticket to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026, where one African team will have a final shot at qualifying for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

•FILE PHOTO: Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen and teammates celebrate after scoring a goal.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria cruised to a 4–0 victory over the Benin Republic on Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo but fell short of securing automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Despite the emphatic win, Nigeria finished as one of the best second-placed teams in the CAF qualifying series and will now advance to the African playoff round.

Striker Victor Osimhen was the standout performer of the night, scoring a sensational hat-trick to power Nigeria past their West African neighbours.

The Galatasaray forward opened the scoring just three minutes into the game, calmly finishing off a swift attacking move to give the Super Eagles a dream start.

The visitors showed flashes of resilience but struggled to contain Nigeria’s high pressing and attacking tempo.

Osimhen doubled the lead midway through the first half with a trademark header, rising highest to meet a cross from Samuel Chukwueze.

Shortly after the break, the 26-year-old completed his hat-trick with a composed finish from close range, effectively putting the result beyond doubt.

With Nigeria still chasing a superior goal difference to improve their ranking among the runners-up, coach Éric Chelle’s men maintained their attacking intensity until the final whistle.

Their persistence paid off in added time when substitute Frank Onyeka smashed home a superb volley from Moses Simon’s cross to seal the 4–0 victory.

The result capped an impressive performance but was not enough to lift the Super Eagles to the top of their group, meaning they will have to navigate the playoff stage to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

(Daily Trust)

• Amaju Pinnick

The Deputy Chair of the FIFA Men’s National Teams Competitions Committee, Amaju Pinnick, has described his appointment as a recognition of Nigeria’s growing influence in global sports governance.

In an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, Pinnick, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, expressed humility and pride at the opportunity to serve in one of FIFA’s most strategic committees.

“The importance of this is a recognition of Nigeria, as well as global sports. First, I’m saying that I’m humbled by the opportunity for me.

The Committee for Competitions is the most important committee, because FIFA is all about competitions, organising competitions, which also includes the World Cup, the U-20 and the U-17, even up to the Club World Cup,” he said.

Explaining the committee’s mandate, Pinnick noted that it plays a central role in managing and supervising FIFA’s global tournaments and the participation of national teams.

It’s a committee that has a responsibility. It has to be seen with national teams, with national team players, to be allowed to play in any of those competitions,” he stated.

Pinnick also highlighted the calibre of individuals serving alongside him, noting that the committee reflects the international breadth of football administration.

“A lot of people in the committee, even Danny Jordaan from South Africa, is a member of the committee. Danny Jordaan was chairman of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. So, we are very, very happy,” he said.