Excitement fills the air as the highly anticipated draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifying round takes place today, News About Nigeria reports.
African football teams gather in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, following the 45th CAF Ordinary Assembly to discover their opponents on this thrilling journey towards the global stage.
In preparation for the 2026 edition, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Confederation of African Football has introduced a revamped qualification system.
The 54 Member Association teams will be divided into nine groups, each comprising six teams. The winners of these groups will secure a direct ticket to the World Cup, joining Africa’s expanded allocation of nine slots.
An additional playoff will determine the 10th team to represent the continent in the intercontinental playoffs.
The draw carries significant implications for Nigeria’s Super Eagles, who find themselves in Pot 1.
However, the rules dictate that teams from the same pot cannot face each other, meaning Nigeria will avoid formidable opponents such as Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Morocco, the African nation that reached the World Cup semifinals in Qatar.
Nigeria may encounter familiar foes like Ghana, South Africa, or Angola from Pot 2, who have posed stiff challenges in the past.
Ghana, in particular, left a bitter taste for the Super Eagles in the previous World Cup qualifying campaign.
The Black Stars denied Nigeria a spot in the 2022 tournament based on the away goals rule, having held them to a goalless draw in Kumasi and a 1-1 tie in Abuja.
Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Guinea, Zambia, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea complete the Pot 2 lineup, making for an intense battle.
Pot 3 adds further intrigue to the draw, with Angola joined by Uganda, Benin, Kenya, Mauritania, Congo, Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and Namibia.
Recent history indicates that Sierra Leone and Central African Republic, both in Pot 4, could prove tough opponents for Nigeria.
Sierra Leone has showcased their mettle against the Super Eagles, while the Central African Republic achieved a historic victory on Nigerian soil in 2021 after a drought of more than four decades.
The remaining pots are as follows: Pot 4 consists of Mozambique, Gambia, Togo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic, Malawi, and Libya. Pot 5 includes Niger, Comoros, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Botswana, and Liberia.
Lastly, Pot 6 contains Lesotho, South Sudan, Mauritius, Chad, Sao Tome, Djibouti, Seychelles, Eritrea, and Somalia.
As the draw unfolds, teams anxiously await their fate, knowing that the path to World Cup glory starts with the matchups revealed today.
