Nigeria host Benin in final Group C clash
Nigeria will host Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Tuesday evening in their final Group C clash of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
With their qualification hopes hanging by a thread, the Super Eagles must win and rely on results elsewhere to keep their World Cup dream alive.
Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign has been a frustrating one, marked by missed opportunities and costly draws that have left them needing a miracle on the final day.
After failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – losing that ticket to arch-rivals Ghana – few would have imagined the Super Eagles facing the possibility of missing out on back-to-back tournaments.
Nigeria trail group leaders Benin by three points and second-placed South Africa by one, so to secure an automatic spot, they must defeat Benin by at least two goals and hope that South Africa fail to beat Rwanda.
If Bafana Bafana win, the Super Eagles would still need a two-goal margin of victory to claim the playoff spot on goal difference.
Chelle’s men head into this fixture buoyed by a 2-1 win over Lesotho on Friday.
Benin, on the other hand, are on the brink of history. Gernot Rohr’s side lead Group C with 17 points from nine games, having won five, drawn two and lost two.
Despite Nigeria’s recent struggles, desperation can sometimes spark defiance. The Super Eagles are under immense pressure but possess enough quality to rise to the occasion.
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Uganda set to secure 2nd-placed finish against Algeria
Uganda have it all to do when they face Algeria in their final Group G fixture of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at Hocine Ait Ahmed Stadium on Tuesday.
The hosts have already cemented their spot in the global showpiece, but the visitors will be looking to secure a second-placed finish, with Mozambique snapping at their heels.
Algeria booked their place in the 2026 World Cup after a commanding 3-0 victory over minnows Somalia on Thursday.
It will be their first appearance at the global event since they participated in the 2014 edition in Brazil, where they were ousted in the round of 16.
Their qualification campaign has been near-perfect, with only one defeat across nine fixtures in this section, leaving them with 22 points.
The North Africans may have qualified for the Mundial, but they will be looking to end their campaign on a winning note in front of their fans.
Elsewhere, Uganda will be eager to cling to the second spot in hopes of emerging as one of the best second-placed teams across the various groups.
They will go into the contest confidently, as they are currently enjoying a three-game winning streak, with seven goals scored and none conceded in that time.
Algeria are undoubtedly the favourites to emerge victorious when these teams clash on Tuesday. The hosts have quality all through their squad, and the Cranes will have a hard time against the illustrious home side in front of their fans.
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Congo DR welcome Sudan in a must win game
DR Congo will welcome Sudan to the Pentecost Martyrs Stadium on Tuesday evening for their final Group B fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
While the Leopards are still chasing automatic qualification and need a win to stay in contention, Sudan will be playing for pride after their hopes of a first-ever World Cup appearance officially ended last week.
Still chasing automatic qualification, DR Congo know that only three points will do if they are to have any chance of leapfrogging group leaders Senegal.
Sebastien Desabre’s men sit second with 19 points, two behind Senegal after winning six, drawing one, and losing two of their nine matches.
They have scored 14 goals and conceded six, maintaining the third-best defensive record in the group.
A narrow 1-0 win away to Togo last time out, courtesy of Cedric Bakambu’s early strike, kept their hopes alive. Now back on home soil, DR Congo will look to build on that momentum and get a win in front of their fans in Kinshasa.
The Leopards’ long wait for a World Cup return having last featured in the tournament in 1974, could move one step closer to reality with a win.
With automatic qualification still possible and home advantage on their side, DR Congo are expected to come out firing against a Sudan team that have struggled for goals and momentum.
The Leopards should have enough quality to get the job done and keep their World Cup dream alive.
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Ivory Coast welcome Kenya in final World Cup qualifiers
Ivory Coast welcome Kenya to Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Tuesday for the final round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, knowing victory would definitely seal their passage to the global tournament.
The hosts sit top of Group F with 22 points, holding a one-point advantage over second-placed Gabon, while the Harambee Stars are no longer in contention for qualification.
Ivory Coast have featured at the World Cup three times in their history and are on the verge of returning to the mundial for the first time since 2014, thanks to an almost flawless qualifying run.
The Elephants have won seven of their nine matches in the campaign, with the only blemishes being goalless draws against Kenya and Gabon on matchdays three and seven respectively.
Ivory Coast’s dominance was on full display last Friday when they put seven past Seychelles and will enter Tuesday’s encounter brimming with confidence, knowing victory would confirm their ticket to the mundial regardless of the outcome between Gabon and Burundi.
Should Cote D’Ivoire clinch direct qualification, it would mark another remarkable milestone in less than two years under Fae, who guided the Elephants to their third continental crown in January 2024.
Although Kenya will aim to throw a wrench into Ivory Coast’s wheel to make a statement, the hosts possess superior quality needed to overcome the visitors’ expected resistance, so we are backing a home win as the Elephants look to round off their campaign without conceding a single goal.
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Group B
Group C
Group E
Group F
Group G
