2026 World Cup qualifier: Super Eagles land in Bloemfontein for decisive clash with South Africa
Super Eagles
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have arrived in Bloemfontein ahead of Tuesday’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
The 22-man squad, led by head coach Eric Chelle, touched down at Bloemfontein Airport at 6:25 p.m. (local time) on Sunday aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft.
The flight included a brief stopover in Luanda, Angola, for refuelling after leaving Uyo earlier in the day.
Warm Welcome for the Eagles
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Tope Ajayi, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Adeboye, led a delegation of Nigerian officials to receive the team. They were joined by top National Sports Commission members, including Salihu Abubakar, Musa Amadu, Kehinde Ajayi, Ebidowei Owiefie, and Seyi Johnson.
The Nigerian community in South Africa turned out in large numbers, dressed in colourful traditional attire while singing and drumming to welcome the players. NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, and former Super Eagles captains Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba also accompanied the delegation.
Osimhen Ruled Out
The squad travelled without talismanic striker Victor Osimhen, who suffered a chin bruise in Friday’s 1-0 win against Rwanda. Medical staff confirmed the Galatasaray forward woke up with discomfort and has since returned to his club for recovery.
His absence leaves Chelle with a selection puzzle, as Cyriel Dessers, Tolu Arokodare, and Samuel Chukwueze are among the likely options to spearhead the attack. Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Alex Iwobi are also expected to play vital roles in the frontline.
Group C Stakes
South Africa top Group C with 16 points from seven matches, while Nigeria sit in third place on 10 points. A win on Tuesday at the Free State Stadium would revive the Eagles’ qualification hopes and put them back in contention for an automatic ticket to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The last time Nigeria faced South Africa in Bloemfontein during a competitive fixture was in the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, where the Eagles secured a 2-1 victory.
Chelle is scheduled to conduct the team’s final training session at Toyota Stadium on Monday evening, focusing on improving efficiency in front of goal after a string of low-scoring games.
The match kicks off at 6 p.m. Nigerian time on Tuesday, September 9.
