This evening in Rabat, Morocco, Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be aiming to go a step further in the chase for a seventh FIFA World Cup appearance since their debut at the 1994 edition in the United States.
Nigeria have never missed two finals in a row after it broke the qualification jinx 31 years ago, but will make an unpleasant history if their opponents, Gabon triumphed in the first semifinal of Africa’s playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Only a win will move Nigeria closer to the 2026 edition following participation in the 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2018 finals.
Victory over Gabon will place Nigeria in the final of the continental playoffs on Sunday against the winners of the second semi-final, Cameroon or DR Congo.
The overall winners of the continental playoffs will go to face other teams from four other continents – Asia; South America; Oceania; South America; and North, Central America and Caribbean.
The intercontinental play-offs will be held in March 2026 in North America, and will produce two finalists for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This evening’s match at the Complexe Sportif Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan, Rabat will be their 10th head-to-head encounter.
Nigeria were victorious in five of those games, while three of the nine matches ended in draws.
Gabon’s only triumph – 2-1 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier on 25 June 1989 – ultimately cost Nigeria a ticket to the 1990 finals in IItaly as the Eagles failed to secure the draw needed against Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in Yaounde on the final day of the series.
Having been distracted by a training boycott over disputed bonuses, the odds are stacked against the Super Eagles to avoid a second consecutive miss at the World Cup.
To get the job done, they must prove doubters wrong with a statement win against Gabon.
For their 10th meeting, all eyes will also be on the two most influential figures for Nigeria and Gabon – Victor Osimhen and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who carry far more than just goals on their shoulders. How they perform across 90 minutes or more could determine who advances in the pursuit of a potential spot at the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Osimhen’s growing influence is undeniable. He is perhaps why the Super Eagles are in the playoffs.
After missing the first five games in the series, Osimhen turned up in the last five matches, producing six goals and one assist – including a propelling hat-trick against the Benin Republic on the final day.
At the club level, he has had a decent season for Galatasaray despite being slowed down by injury. In 12 games across all competitions, Osimhen has scored nine goals for the Turkish champions, including a hat-trick against Ajax in the UEFA Champions League.
Those club numbers matter because they translate directly into what Osimhen offers Nigeria. He is not just a finisher; he is the focal point of attacks, an aerial and direct threat who drags opposition defenders out of position and creates space for teammates like Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon.
For the Super Eagles, he has been prolific too — rising rapidly up Nigeria’s all-time scoring charts and consistently converting chances at the international level. He now has 29 in 44 games for Nigeria.
Other potential threats flanking Osimhen are the ever-present Moses Simon, reigning African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze, who turned up in style against the Benin Republic.
Gabon were the best among the best second-placed teams in the playoffs, and the 36-year-old Aubameyang was one of the drivers of their ambitions in the nail-biting qualifying series, where they missed out on the automatic ticket by a point.
The Panthers scored 22 goals, with the Marseille striker contributing seven of them in five appearances. That included four goals against the Gambia in the penultimate game of the series. At the club level, he has kept performing too, with five goals and five assists in 11 games for Marseille this season. Before scoring last Saturday, he hadn’t scored in his last six games for Marseille, but had three assists, meaning that he could also create.
Aubameyang will be relying on services from Mario Lemina, Guélor Kanga, Jim Allevinah, Louis Ameka Autchanga, Noha Lemina, and Yoann Wachter.
