The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) has announced the schedule for the first two of the remaining six 2026 World Cup qualifying matches for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The Super Eagles are set to face Rwanda in an away match on March 17, followed by a home game against Zimbabwe on March 24. This marks the beginning of a vital period for the team under the guidance of new head coach Éric Chelle.
Both opponents are well known to the Super Eagles, having faced Rwanda twice during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. Last September, they played to a goalless draw, but in November, Rwanda secured a 2-1 victory against Nigeria in Uyo.
Zimbabwe also previously hosted Nigeria during the qualifying series, resulting in a 1-1 draw in a challenging encounter last November.
With four matches completed, the Super Eagles currently occupy fifth place with three points, trailing leaders Rwanda by four points, and with six games still to play in the qualifying series.
Aware of the challenge ahead, Coach Chelle has emphasized that securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup is his top priority. Chelle, who took over as head coach a few weeks back, is focused on turning around Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign as it resumes in March while also preparing for the upcoming AFCON tournament in December.
“My main focus is on the players and the matches in March. We need to prioritize the World Cup qualifiers first; after that, we can shift our attention to the AFCON in October. Winning these two games in March is essential,” Chelle stated after the recent AFCON draw in Morocco.