FIFA Rankings To Determine Super Eagles’ Path In World Cup Play-Offs

FIFA Rankings To Determine Super Eagles’ Path In World Cup Play-Offs

By Niyi Busari 

Nigeria’s path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be significantly influenced by the Super Eagles’ FIFA ranking ahead of the intercontinental play-offs, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

 The revamped play-off format gives a major advantage to the two highest-ranked teams, who will advance directly to the final qualifying round in Mexico.

Under the new structure, six nations will travel to Mexico for the intercontinental play-offs. The four lowest-ranked teams will contest the semi-final stage, with the winners progressing to face the top two ranked teams in the final round. The victors of those final matchups will secure the remaining World Cup berths.

For Nigeria, the implications are substantial. If the Super Eagles are ranked among the top two teams at the start of the play-offs, their qualification task becomes significantly shorter requiring just one match in Mexico. A single victory would be enough to seal their return to the World Cup.

However, should Nigeria fall outside the top-two ranking bracket, the qualification route becomes more demanding. In that scenario, the Super Eagles would need to win two matches a semi-final and a final to reach the tournament. When combined with their earlier victory over Gabon, this could mean winning three straight knockout fixtures to qualify for their first World Cup appearance since 2018.