The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially announced that the Super Eagles will converge in Morocco on November 9, five days before their opening match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoff tournament.
Nigeria is set to face Gabon in their first playoff fixture on November 13, and a win would propel them to the final on November 16, where they would battle either Cameroon or Congo DR. The overall winner of the mini-tournament will represent Africa in the inter-confederation playoff slated for March 2026.
While the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to announce the specific venues soon, preparations are already in full swing.
An NFF source revealed to The Guardian that the squad list for these crucial fixtures will be released before the end of the month.
“All the players are expected to be in Rabat on November 9, which is five days before the first game, to acclimatise and plan the strategy for the matches,” the source confirmed.
It was also disclosed that Head Coach Eric Chelle has submitted his detailed playoff program to the NFF, and official invitation letters will be sent to selected players in the coming days.
NFF President Ibrahim Gusau expressed optimism about Nigeria’s chances, highlighting the team’s focus and determination to qualify for the World Cup.
“We are aware of the countries that we are going to play with, and we are also aware of the venue. So, as I’m talking to you right from today, we have even started preparation for that,” Gusau said over the weekend.
He also emphasised the players’ motivation and the importance of this stage in their careers.
“The level of commitment and zeal of the players going to the World Cup is a very, very important thing to them and their career, more than even how Nigerians look at it,” he added.
Gusau further assured that the Federal Government and relevant authorities are offering full support to ensure the Super Eagles are adequately prepared for their decisive showdown against Gabon.
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