The long wait is finally over! Nigeria’s Super Eagles have sealed their place in the African playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thanks to a sensational hattrick from star striker, Victor Osimhen, and a decisive goal from Frank Onyeka.
In what many fans are calling one of the team’s most dominant performances in recent years, the Eagles thrashed Benin Republic 4–0 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Tuesday, booking their ticket to the next stage of the qualifiers.
With this victory, Nigeria secured one of the four coveted spots for the best second-placed teams in the playoffs, climbing to third position, a spot that can no longer be mathematically displaced.
The road to qualification wasn’t entirely smooth. Following Eritrea’s withdrawal from the campaign, results against sixth-placed teams were deducted from total points. Despite earning only two points against Zimbabwe, who finished bottom of Group C, Nigeria still managed to accumulate 15 points with a +7 goal difference, edging past Burkina Faso and Niger to clinch qualification.
Osimhen, who has been in unstoppable form, opened the scoring just three minutes into the game after a well-timed through pass from Samuel Chukwueze. He struck again before halftime with a powerful header , again assisted by Chukwueze — sending the crowd into a frenzy.
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The Napoli forward completed his hattrick in the second half with a clever header off a free-kick, putting the game beyond Benin’s reach. Substitute Frank Onyeka then sealed the victory late in the game with a composed finish inside the box.
The result means the Super Eagles are now one step closer to booking their place at the 2026 World Cup a tournament set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With Osimhen leading the charge, Nigerian fans are beginning to believe again. The dream of seeing the Eagles soar on football’s biggest stage is alive once more.