Super Eagles arrive in South Africa ahead of crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho as Nigeria seek vital win after major table shake-up
Super Eagles arrive in South Africa ahead of Friday’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, as Nigeria begin their final push for a place at the global tournament.
Also read: FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket prices surge vs 2022
The team, led by head coach Eric Chelle, landed in Polokwane on Monday and have opened camp at The Ranch Hotel, according to a statement from media officer Promise Efoghe.
The players are arriving in batches via Johannesburg, while training is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
The clash is set for Friday, October 10 at 4pm Nigerian time at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, a neutral venue adopted by Lesotho due to their lack of a CAF or FIFA-approved stadium.
“We are focused and fully aware of what is at stake. Training begins today with recovery and tactical sessions to sharpen the squad,” said a team source.
Assistant coach Daniel Ogunmodede is expected to join the camp later today after guiding Remo Stars to a 2–0 win in the NPFL on Monday.
The encounter comes on the heels of a dramatic FIFA ruling which overturned South Africa’s 2–0 win over Lesotho from March, awarding a 3–0 victory to Lesotho after Bafana Bafana fielded an ineligible player.
This reshaped the qualification standings:
- Benin and South Africa now lead on 14 points
- Nigeria and Rwanda sit close behind on 11
- Lesotho now have 9 points
With two matches remaining, victory over Lesotho would propel the Super Eagles to 14 points, keeping their hopes for automatic qualification alive ahead of their final fixture against Benin in Uyo.
The 23-man squad features key stars including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Akor Adams, who has earned a first senior call-up following his fine form at Sevilla.
Defensive reinforcements include Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Zaidu Sanusi, and Benjamin Fredrick, while the midfield will be anchored by Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Frank Onyeka.
Stanley Nwabali retains his spot as first-choice goalkeeper, supported by Amas Obasogie and Adebayo Adeleye.
Also read: FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket prices surge vs 2022
With renewed motivation and a favourable reshuffling of the group, Chelle’s side knows that two wins—against Lesotho and Benin—could see Nigeria return to the FIFA World Cup after missing out in 2022.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
