The Super Eagles of Nigeria were handed a boost in their 2026 World Cup qualification journey after FIFA confirmed the deduction of three points from South Africa, Soccernet.ng reports.
Bafana Bafana were top of Group C with 17 points following their 1-1 draw against Eric Chelle's side in Bloemfontein earlier this month.
However, FIFA has ordered for three points to be chalked off after Hugo Broos' side were found guilty of breaching the FIFA disciplinary code by fielding a suspended Teboho Mokoena, in the South Africa v. Lesotho match played on 21 March 2025 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier game.
As a result, the point gap between Nigeria and South Africa has dropped to three points with two games left to play.
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While it's good news for Eric Chelle's side, former KV Kortrijk attacker, Oladimeji Lawal, is unsure if the Nigerian team can capitalise on their advantage.
Dimeji Lawal not confident in Super Eagles
In an interview with Brila, the three-cap Super Eagles forward admitted he was sure the deduction was only a matter of time.
“I don’t get excited about boardroom points because one thing is to get three points taken away from South Africa, and another thing is for us to win our remaining games.
“I knew from the beginning that FIFA would not compromise its rules. When South Africa made that mistake, I was certain they would forfeit those three points and three goals.
“The bottom line is, can we win our last two games? That’s the crucial part of it. I’m not so excited about South Africa losing points.
“What I am looking forward to is how we can prepare ourselves in a manner that guarantees victories in the next two matches,” the 54-year-old concluded.
Can the Super Eagles qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
Eric Chelle's men can still directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup, although under very strict conditions, as finishing second in the group isn't an option.
To finish top of Group C, the Super Eagles have to;
- Win their remaining two World Cup qualifying games (against Benin Republic and Lesotho)
- Score an average of five goals across these two games without conceding a goal to stay afloat by goal difference, just in case they're joint top by points gotten
- Hope that South Africa and Rwanda drop points in their upcoming fixtures in the October International break.
While the Super Eagles still stand a chance to participate in the maiden edition of the 48-team World Cup tournament, they'll need help from elsewhere.
