Nigeria's Super Eagles sealed their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a pulsating 2-1 victory over Rwanda in Abuja on Tuesday, with Victor Osimhen scoring the decisive goal in the 87th minute to spark scenes of jubilation across the country.
The result ensured Nigeria topped Africa's World Cup qualifying Group C with 19 points from eight matches, booking one of the continent's nine automatic berths for the expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Osimhen, playing despite carrying a slight hamstring strain, collected a through ball from Wilfred Ndidi before curling a precise left-footed finish into the top corner. His celebration — arms outstretched in front of 60,000 roaring fans at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium — became the image of the night.
"I gave everything for this country tonight," said Osimhen in a post-match interview. "Qualifying for the World Cup is the proudest moment of my career so far."
Coach Eric Chelle, appointed only in January after the departure of Finidi George, received widespread praise for stabilising the squad and instilling a pressing style of play that has energised the team's performances.
Nigeria will be appearing at their seventh World Cup and their first since 2018. The draw for the 2026 tournament takes place in Miami in February, where the Eagles could face former nemeses from Europe or South America.
Other African nations that have qualified include Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, and Tunisia, giving the continent its strongest ever World Cup cohort.
