Eritrea’s decision to withdraw from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has given Nigeria’s Super Eagles a fresh chance to revive their campaign.
The withdrawal leaves Group E with only five teams instead of six, forcing CAF to adjust its qualification format. In such cases, results against the lowest-ranked sides in the full groups are usually discarded to ensure all second-placed teams are compared fairly.
For Nigeria, this development is significant. The Super Eagles had already dropped four costly points against the bottom team in their group, results that would have hurt their chances of emerging as one of the best runners-up. With Eritrea out, those points may no longer count in the final reckoning.
This scenario offers Nigeria a second chance at qualification, but the path remains narrow. The team must win its two remaining matches to secure second place and keep hopes of reaching the playoffs alive.
In essence, Eritrea’s exit has handed Nigeria a lifeline — but their destiny will still be decided on the pitch.
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