Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been handed a lifeline after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld FIFA’s decision to deduct six points from Equatorial Guinea for fielding an ineligible player.
The punishment stemmed from Equatorial Guinea’s use of striker Emilio Nsue, who had not received the required clearance to switch international allegiance from Spain, despite representing the country for over a decade. Nsue scored decisive goals in 1-0 victories against Namibia and Liberia last November, but FIFA annulled those results, awarding 3-0 technical wins to the opponents.
Equatorial Guinea’s appeal to CAS was dismissed, cementing the sanction and dramatically reshaping Group H standings. The team dropped from second place with 16 points to fifth with 10, elevating Namibia to second with 15 points and tightening the battle for qualification spots.
For Nigeria, the ruling could prove decisive. The Super Eagles currently sit third in Group C with 11 points, trailing leaders South Africa (17) and Benin (14). With four best runners-up across Africa’s nine qualifying groups advancing to the inter-confederation play-offs, the door has swung open for Nigeria to make a late surge.
The current runners-up race is fierce, with Gabon leading on 19 points, followed by Madagascar and DR Congo (16 each), then Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Namibia and Uganda all on 15, with Benin on 14. Nigeria must break into the top four of this ranking to stand a chance.
Their prospects may brighten further as FIFA investigates South Africa for allegedly fielding ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a March fixture against Lesotho. Mokoena was reportedly suspended due to accumulated yellow cards but still played in South Africa’s 2-0 win. Should FIFA sanction Bafana Bafana by overturning that result, South Africa could drop from 17 to 14 points—throwing Group C wide open ahead of Nigeria’s final fixtures against Lesotho (away) and Benin (home).
With nine African nations set to qualify directly for the expanded 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and four more advancing to play-offs, the Super Eagles’ fate may hinge not only on their remaining performances but also on disciplinary rulings off the pitch.
Nigeria will be hoping that, just as Equatorial Guinea’s misstep reshaped Group H, any sanctions against South Africa could tilt Group C in their favour—keeping alive their dream of returning to football’s biggest stage.
