Izuchukwu OkosiThe Super Eagles will begin their mission to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a qualifying game at home against Lesotho on November 13 scheduled to hold at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, reports Prime Business Africa.
According to the draw for the World Cup qualifiers as made public by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Eagles and other African teams will play a total of 10 games each in the qualification series that will culminate in the 12 October 2025 fixtures.
Nigeria’s other group rivals South Africa will host the Benin Republic, while Zimbabwe travel to Rwanda on Matchday 1.
The second matchday will take place the following week on November 20th, with the Super Eagles the guests of Zimbabwe. Lesotho will host Benin Republic and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa will make the trip to Rwanda.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign will take a hiatus and return for Matchday 3 on 2nd June 2024 when the Super Eagles host South Africa. Zimbabwe will host Lesotho while former Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr and his Benin Republic will play host to Rwanda.
The Super Eagles will travel to Benin Republic to face former coach Gernot Rohr on Matchday four, which is likely to be the most anticipated match of the group considering the affiliations between both parties.
South Africa will be hosting Zimbabwe at the time, while Lesotho will host Rwanda.
The Eagles will then resume the marathon qualification campaign in March 2025 with a trip to Rwanda followed by a home tie against Zimbabwe. They will then play Rwanda in a rematch in August 2025, followed by a trip to South Africa the following month.
In October 2025, they will round off their campaign when they play Lesotho away and Benin at home in the final qualification round.
The Group C fixtures in full:
Match Day 1, 13 November 2023
Nigeria v. Lesotho
South Africa v. Benin Republic
Rwanda v. Zimbabwe
Match Day 2, 20 November 2023
Lesotho v. Benin
Zimbabwe v. Nigeria
Rwanda v. South Africa
Match Day 3, 2 June 2024
Zimbabwe v. Lesotho
Benin v. Rwanda
Nigeria v. South Africa
Match Day 4, 9 June 2024
South Africa v. Zimbabwe
Benin v. Nigeria
Lesotho v. Rwanda
Match Day 5, 17 March 2025
South Africa v. Lesotho
Zimbabwe v. Benin
Rwanda v. Nigeria
Match Day 6, 24 March 2025
Benin v. South Africa
Nigeria v. Zimbabwe
Rwanda v. Lesotho
Match Day 7, 31 August 2025
Benin v. Zimbabwe
Lesotho v. South Africa
Nigeria v. Rwanda
Match Day 8, 7 September 2025
South Africa v. Nigeria
Benin v. Lesotho
Zimbabwe v. Rwanda
Match Day 9, 5 October 2025
Lesotho v. Nigeria
Zimbabwe v. South Africa
Rwanda v. Benin
Match Day 10, 12 October 2025
South Africa v. Rwanda
Lesotho v. Zimbabwe
Nigeria v. Benin
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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