Super Eagles battle Rwanda for World Cup ticket

Nigeria’s road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been anything but smooth. The Super Eagles currently sit fourth in Group C with just seven points from six games, already six adrift of leaders, South Africa. Rwanda and Benin are each sitting a point ahead on eight.

That is why today’s clash against Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo (kick-off 5:00 PM) is a must-win. Slip again and the dream of returning to the world’s biggest football stage could begin to fade beyond repair.

4 matches without home victory

Since the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the Super Eagles have not recorded a single victory at home. In six matches played so far, the former African champions have managed four draws, one win and a devastating 1-2 loss to neighbours, Benin Republic in the fourth group match played in Abidjan, the adopted venue of the Squirrels.

The Super Eagles were forced to a 1-1 draw by Lesotho in their opening match of the qualifiers on November 16, 2023. They recorded another 1-1 draw away against Zimbabwe in the second group match and had to fight back to record another 1-1 draw against archrivals, Bafana Bafana of South Africa in their second home match on June 7, 2024.

The Super Eagles then suffered a major setback, losing 1-2 to Benin Republic in the fourth group match. Although they got a momentary reprieve after a convincing 2-0 victory at Rwanda to revive their campaign, they immediately capitulated in the next match against the Brave Warriors of Zimbabwe, who forced them to another 1-1 draw in Uyo.

Following the string of poor results, the Super Eagles are down the group table with a miserable seven points from six matches, meaning they must win all the remaining four matches to have any faint hope of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Head-to-head: Super Eagles hold the edge

On paper, Nigeria boasts of historical advantage over Rwanda. The Super Eagles are unbeaten in their last three meetings with the Amavubi, including a 2–0 win in Kigali earlier this year when Victor Osimhen struck twice. But the story is more complicated than it looks. Rwanda have proven a tough opponent in recent encounters. They famously stunned Nigeria 2–1 in Uyo during AFCON qualifying despite facing a flurry of shots from the hosts. They also frustrated the Eagles in a goalless draw in Kigali.

Under Coach Adel Amrouche, Rwanda have become a disciplined, physically resilient side. They travel to Uyo with eight points on the board and a growing belief that they can challenge for qualification. Nigeria may carry the pedigree, but Rwanda carry the confidence of a side that has repeatedly shown they can frustrate bigger nations.

Super Eagles’ expected line up today against Rwanda

Chelle is expected to stick to his preferred 4-2-3-1 system, designed to balance midfield stability with attacking flair.

Goalkeeper: Stanley Nwabali, fit again, should retain his place between the sticks.

Defence: Ola Aina, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and either Bright Osayi-Samuel or Benjamin Fredrick are likely to form the backline.

Midfield: Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka could anchor the midfield, with Iwobi given license to push forward.

Attack: Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman are tipped to provide pace and width, while Osimhen leads the line as the focal point.

The challenge is clear: tighten a defence that has leaked six goals in six games, while ensuring creativity and ruthlessness in front of goal.