Super Eagles Striker, Victor Osimhen, has said that securing a spot at the forthcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup is Nigeria’s Super Eagle’s foremost objective at the moment.
He said the team hopes to achieve this by giving their whole so as not to miss out in the global football tournament, following their shock absence from Qatar 2022.
“Playing at the World Cup is a priority, and we must make it happen this time,” the Galatasaray forward told BBC Sport Africa. The 2023 African Footballer of the Year stressed his determination to help Nigeria rebound from a sluggish start in Group C of the qualifiers, where they remain winless after four matches (three draws, one loss).
“It’s every footballer’s dream to compete on the global stage. Given our current position, I’m desperate—like my teammates—to ensure we qualify,” Osimhen said. He acknowledged the lingering pain of Nigeria’s 2022 World Cup heartbreak, where a playoff defeat to Ghana denied them a place in Qatar: “Our failure to qualify hit us hard. We can’t let that happen again to our nation or this generation.”
Currently fourth in their group and trailing the leader, Rwanda, by four points, Nigeria faces a critical double-header this month.
They visit Rwanda on March 21 before hosting group minnows Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later.
The fixtures mark the debut of newly appointed head coach Eric Chelle, the Mali-born tactician who became the first non-Nigerian African to lead the Super Eagles in January.
Osimhen, who has 23 goals in 39 international appearances, expressed confidence in Chelle’s vision.
The Franco-Malian coach guided Mali to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals before taking charge of Nigeria. “I’ve spoken with him multiple times and understand his objectives,” Osimhen said.
“But success requires more than the coach—players must deliver top performances, stay committed, and unite to achieve our goal.”
The 26-year-old urged Nigeria’s star-studded squad, including Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, to validate their talent by qualifying for the World Cup.
“Fans call this a golden generation, but we must prove it by reaching the World Cup, just as past teams did,” he said.
“Missing Qatar devastated us—perhaps more than our supporters realized.”
While Nigeria is also preparing for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, where they face Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania in the group stage, Osimhen insisted World Cup qualification takes precedence:
“We can’t prioritize AFCON when World Cup qualifiers demand our full focus. We must address this first.”
Only group winners automatically qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup, though second-place finishers could secure a berth via a continental playoff in November.
Despite being three-time African champions and Group C’s highest-ranked team, Osimhen warned against complacency: “Reputations don’t win games.
We must fight for 90 minutes in every match, not just for ourselves but for 200 million Nigerians. The pressure is secondary; our duty is to avoid letting the nation down.”
Osimhen: World Cup Qualification “Top Priority” for Super Eagles
