Ndidi says Super Eagles are desperate to qualify for 2026 World Cup in North America

LEICESTER City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has promised that the Super Eagles will do their very best to secure qualification for the 2026 Fifa World Cup having suffered the ignominy of missing out on the 2026 tournament.

Nigeria missed out on the 2022 World Cup on Qatar after losing to Ghana in the final qualification play-off. Over the weekend, Nigeria beat Lesotho 6-0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo to qualify for the 2024 African Cup of Nations taking place in Ivory Coast.

However, the match was just a formality as Nigeria had already qualified for the tournament and the tiny Atlantic Ocean island team were already eliminated. for the World Cup, Nigeria has been drawn in Group C alongside South Africa, Benin Republic, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Lesotho and will get the campaign going on November 13 in Uyo against the Crocodiles of Lesotho.

According to Ndidi, who captained Nigeria against Sao Tome & Principe on Saturday, more important to the team are the qualifiers for the 2026 Mundial taking place in Canada/America/Mexico in three years time. Nigeria’s first game in the qualifiers will take place against the Crocodiles of Lesotho on November 13.

Ndidi said: “This win against Sao Tome and Principe is a good one for us. It will serve as a morale booster ahead of the World Cup qualifiers,”

“It was painful not to play at the last World Cup in Qatar as the fans were really disappointed in us and we can’t afford to fail them again. We just have to keep working hard as a team and hopefully things will be in our favour.”

Nigeria wrapped up qualification for the African Nations Cup with an easy 6-0 victory over the Patriots of Sao Tome and Principe. A hat-trick from Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen and a goal each from Ademola Lookman, Taiwo Awoniyi, and substitute Samuel Chukwueze ensured the team finished top of Group A ahead of Guinea Bissau.