Nigeria’s World Cup Hopes Boosted by CAF Rule Change
Nigeria's chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have received a significant boost due to a rule change by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The adjustment was made after Eritrea's withdrawal from the competition, which left some groups with only five teams. To ensure fairness, CAF has decided that when determining the best runners-up, results against the bottom-placed team in each group will not be counted. This change benefits Nigeria, as the points they earned against the current bottom team in their group would be excluded from the final calculation for the runner-up ranking. This improves their standing compared to other second-place teams. The Super Eagles now have a clearer path to qualification as they prepare for their upcoming matches against Lesotho and Benin, aiming to secure a spot in the World Cup after missing the 2022 […]