Eagles set dates for Rwanda, Zimbabwe World Cup qualifiers
The dates for the first two of Nigeria’s remaining six 2026 World Cup qualifying matches have been confirmed.
The Super Eagles will travel to Rwanda on March 21, before returning home to face Zimbabwe in the second leg of their qualifying encounter.
“Work begins. Éric Chelle’s first two games as Super Eagles head coach will be the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers—Rwanda away and Zimbabwe at home in March, let’s go Super Eagles,” the official team account shared on Tuesday.
These two teams are familiar opponents for Nigeria, having faced Rwanda twice during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. The Amavubi held Nigeria to a 0-0 draw in September, before securing a 2-1 victory in Uyo during the final AFCON qualifier in November. Similarly, Zimbabwe hosted the first leg of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November 2023, where they played out a 1-1 draw with Nigeria.
With four matches played, the three-time African champions sit in fifth place, just three points behind leaders Rwanda, and still have six games left in the qualifying series. Aware of the precarious situation, new Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle has emphasized that securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup is his top priority.
Chelle, who was appointed head coach a few weeks ago, faces the challenge of reviving Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes while also preparing for the 2025 AFCON, which kicks off in December.
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“My focus is on my players and March. We need to concentrate on the World Cup qualifiers first, and after that, in October, we can start thinking about AFCON. For now, we need to win two games in March,” Chelle said after the 2025 AFCON draw in Morocco.
Nigeria is currently at risk of missing the 2026 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. However, victories in March’s fixtures against Rwanda in Kigali and Zimbabwe are crucial for the Super Eagles’ qualification hopes, and a strong performance could reignite their campaign.
After these two matches in March, the team will regroup in September and October to complete the final four games of the qualification series before turning their attention to the 2025 AFCON in December.
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