Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, says Nigeria’s Super Eagles still have a fighting chance to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup if South Africa are docked points for allegedly fielding an ineligible player.
The Super Eagles currently sit fourth in Group C of the African qualifiers with seven points from six games, six points behind leaders South Africa, who have 13. However, a twist in the qualification race may be on the horizon.
South Africa are reportedly under FIFA investigation for fielding Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 win over Lesotho in March, despite the midfielder having accumulated two yellow cards earlier in the campaign.
According to FIFA regulations, a player who has received two yellow cards is suspended for the following match, a rule Nigeria claims was violated by the Bafana Bafana.
In response, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has lodged an official protest, hoping FIFA will enforce its disciplinary code and dock South Africa three points, a development that could dramatically alter the group standings and boost Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
“With the look of things, it’s still in our hands, based on the disciplinary issue that is going to be decided very soon,” Dikko told UK-based Nigerian journalist Austin Okon-Akpan.
“If the disciplinary issue goes the way everybody thinks it should go, because we, too, as Nigeria, have suffered the same fate before, then the next four games are in our hands. If we win them, we can still qualify”, he noted.
“The rules are the rules; it’s not about Africa, it’s FIFA. There are no two ways about it. Otherwise, we could have fielded any player and claimed it’s an error.”
The Super Eagles, now under the guidance of new head coach Eric Chelle, are looking to revive their campaign when the qualifiers resume in September.
Chelle started his tenure with a positive run, winning the Unity Cup in London earlier this month with victories over Ghana and Jamaica, and a 1-1 draw against Russia in a friendly.
Nigeria’s final four qualifiers will see them take on Rwanda at home and South Africa away in September, before facing Lesotho away and Benin Republic at home in October.
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