- Eric Chelle believes Nigeria tin inactive suffice for the 2026 FIFA World Cup contempt a unspeakable commencement successful the qualifiers
- The Super Eagles indispensable triumph each remaining 4 matches and anticipation radical leaders South Africa driblet points to qualify
- Nigeria volition look Rwanda successful Uyo connected September 3, past question to play Group C leaders South Africa connected September 7
Super Eagles caput coach, Eric Chelle, has voiced a beardown content that Nigeria tin inactive suffice for the 2026 FIFA World Cup contempt a disappointing commencement to their run successful the qualifiers.
Under the tutelage of Finidi George and Austine Eguavoen, Nigeria went winless successful their archetypal 4 qualifying matches, including frustrating draws against lower-ranked teams similar Zimbabwe.

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However, Chelle’s accomplishment appears to person injected caller energy into the Nigerian squad, starting with a coagulated 2-0 triumph implicit Rwanda successful Kigali, Daily Post reports.
The 47-year-old Malian tactician has shifted the absorption distant from past setbacks and onto the adjacent important fixtures.
With conscionable 4 matches near successful the qualification series, Chelle maintains that Nigeria’s destiny is inactive successful their hands, provided they triumph each their remaining games and anticipation for slip-ups from radical leaders South Africa.
Chelle eyes Rwanda and South Africa matches
According to FIFA.com, South Africa presently leads the radical with a six-point cushion implicit Nigeria, making their upcoming clash against the Super Eagles a imaginable decider.
Chelle has acknowledged the value of the crippled against Bafana Bafana, describing it arsenic a “must-win” conflict for the three-time African champions.
However, the 47-year-old manager remains grounded, insisting that the contiguous precedence for the Super Eagles is the lucifer against Rwanda connected September 3rd astatine the Godswill Akpabio Stadium successful Uyo, Channels reports.
“It’s an work to triumph successful South Africa, but the astir important lucifer for america close present is Rwanda successful Uyo,” Chelle said. “South Africa are a bully side, but we cannot spend to fto them play. First, we bushed Rwanda, past we look South Africa.”The Super Eagles’ adjacent 2 qualifiers, against Rwanda and South Africa, volition beryllium important successful determining whether Nigeria can support their World Cup hopes alive.
Unity Cup triumph brings confidence
Nigeria’s caller occurrence astatine the Unity Cup successful London whitethorn beryllium captious successful gathering momentum for the important matches successful September.

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The tourney triumph has lifted Nigeria’s morale and allowed Chelle to experimentation with tactics and players up of September’s double-header against Rwanda and South Africa.
Both games successful September necessitate constricted country for error, and the Super Eagles are expected to travel retired with renewed intent to get maximum points oregon miss a 2nd consecutive FIFA World Cup.
Chelle exposure weaknesses successful Super Eagles
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Chelle has identified a cardinal weakness successful the Super Eagles squad up of the planetary affable lucifer against Russia.
Nigeria won the 2025 Unity Cup aft beating West African rivals Ghana 2-1 successful the semi-final and Jamaica connected penalties successful the last aft a 2-2 gully successful the 90 minutes astatine the Gtech Community Stadium.
Chelle disclosed Nigeria conceded truthful galore goals during these Unity games, particularly erstwhile they mislaid the ball, and we couldn’t triumph it backmost and aft a cross.
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Source: Legit.ng