Nigeria’s prolific forward Victor Osimhen is expected to play a decisive role when the Super Eagles confront the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday in Rabat, as both sides battle for survival in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African play-off final.
The winner of the high-stakes encounter will proceed to next March’s six-nation intercontinental qualifying tournament in Mexico, joining representatives from every football region except Europe. The loser will exit the race to become one of the record 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Nigeria and DR Congo earned their second chance at qualification as two of the best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups.
Osimhen in blistering form
Osimhen underlined his importance once again in Thursday’s semi-final, scoring twice in extra time to inspire Nigeria to a 4–1 victory over Gabon. DR Congo advanced with a hard-fought 1–0 win over Cameroon, courtesy of a late strike from captain Chancel Mbemba.
The 2023 African Player of the Year has been in devastating form. Only last month, he netted a hat-trick in Nigeria’s 4–0 win over Benin, a result that sealed the Super Eagles’ path to the play-offs. Despite still wearing a protective face mask following a serious injury four years ago, the 26-year-old posed a constant threat against Gabon and could easily have scored more.
Osimhen admitted frustration after missing a one-on-one chance in the 12th minute of stoppage time but said he had promised his teammates he would redeem himself in extra time — a promise he delivered with two goals.
Super Eagles seek redemption
Nigeria have reached the World Cup six times in eight attempts since their debut in 1994 and are aiming to avoid missing consecutive tournaments for the first time. The team is determined to banish memories of the disappointing 2022 play-off loss to Ghana, which denied them a ticket to Qatar.
Despite the Super Eagles’ superior FIFA ranking — 19 places above DR Congo — head coach Eric Chelle has urged caution.
“The victory over Gabon means nothing now,” Chelle said. “DR Congo are formidable opponents. We are building an identity, and the players understand what we want. Passion and teamwork got us through the last match; we must find that again.”
Resurgent DR Congo eye historic return
DR Congo, whose sole World Cup appearance came in 1974 when they competed as Zaire, arrive in Rabat with renewed confidence. French coach Sébastien Desabre has moulded the Congolese into a disciplined, resilient side built around Lille defender and captain Chancel Mbemba.
“We have experienced players, and this progress didn’t happen overnight,” Desabre said. “We will give everything against Nigeria.”
Though both nations have participated in multiple World Cup qualifying campaigns — Nigeria in 16, DR Congo in 12 — this will be their first-ever meeting in a World Cup qualifier. The match will be staged at the 22,000-capacity Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium.
Meanwhile, Bolivia and New Caledonia have already booked their spots in the intercontinental tournament. Asia will be represented by either Iraq or the UAE, while Jamaica and Panama lead the race for the two slots allocated to the CONCACAF region.
