3 weeks ago
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Nigeria has received a large boost successful their 2026 World Cup qualification hopes arsenic the Confederation of African Football (CAF) revised the qualifying rules pursuing Eritrea’s withdrawal from the competition.
Eritrea’s exit has caused a important imbalance, leaving Group E with lone 5 teams alternatively of six.
To support fairness, CAF and FIFA are considering removing points earned against the bottom-placed squad successful each radical erstwhile determining the champion runners-up.
In a circular dated March 14, 2025, and signed by CAF’s Director of Tournaments and Events, Samson Adamu, the assemblage explained that whenever a radical has less than 5 teams owed to withdrawal oregon disqualification, results against the lowest-ranked oregon withdrawn teams volition not number erstwhile comparing second-placed sides.
The adjustment, made successful enactment with Article 11.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary contention regulations, ensures uniformity successful selecting the 4 champion runners-up crossed Africa.
If the projected accommodation takes effect, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Madagascar, and Gabon could each suffer six points, reshaping the qualification table.
On the different hand, Cameroon (–4 points) and Nigeria could determination higher successful the standings, improving their chances of reaching the World Cup playoffs.
The alteration could beryllium important for Nigeria, who presently beryllium extracurricular the apical presumption aft earning lone 2 points against bottom-placed Zimbabwe.
With the caller regularisation excluding results against the lowest-ranked sides, the Super Eagles’ qualification chances person received a large boost.
With upcoming fixtures against Lesotho and Benin, Nigeria volition purpose to capitalize connected the revised criteria, unafraid cardinal victories, and revive their bid to instrumentality to the planetary signifier aft missing retired connected the 2022 World Cup successful Qatar.
CAF reaffirmed that the accommodation was indispensable to guarantee fairness and equilibrium successful the competition’s structure, portion maintaining transparency and sporting integrity passim the qualifying process contempt unexpected squad withdrawals.
The station Nigeria’s World Cup hopes emergence aft CAF adjusts qualification criteria appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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