2026 World Cup qualification not in our hands – William Troost-Ekong tells Nigerians

Captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria William Troost-Ekong has revealed the hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is no longer solely dependent on Eric Chelle’s team, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 32-year-old scored from twelve yards on Friday against Lesotho at the Peter Makoba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa in an attempt to redeem himself after he scored an own goal against Bafana Bafana last month.

It all comes down to 90 minutes between the Super Eagles and the Republic of Benin. The fixture is a must-win for Nigeria, although that doesn’t guarantee direct qualification.

Ronwen Hayden Williams of South Africa, William Ekong of Nigeria and Emilio Nsue Lopez of Equitorial Guinea during the Afcon 2023 Final match between Nigeria and Cote D Ivoire at Stade Olympique Alassane on February 11, 2024 in Abidjan, Cote d Ivore. Photo by ImagoxSegun Ogunfeyitimi

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Ekong rallies support from Nigerian fans

For the Super Eagles to qualify directly, Rwanda have to defeat South Africa, while Nigeria have to defeat Benin.

Should South Africa defeat Rwanda, Nigeria have to secure a victory over Gernot Rohr’s side with a margin of at least four goals to qualify for the play-offs as one of the best second-placed teams.

As a result, Ekong has urged the Nigerian players and fans to play their part in making sure a good result surfaces at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo this evening.

“There are players here who want to make names for themselves, and those who will want their names to go down well in history. So, they are fully prepared and will play to win,” the one-time Greek Champion said in the pre-match conference.

William Troost-Ekong and Felix Agu prepare in warm-up ahead of Nigeria's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers clash against Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo — William Troost-Ekong and Felix Agu prepare in warm-up ahead of Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers clash against Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. [Photo Credit/ Super Eagles on X].

“Tomorrow may not be 100% in our hands, but we try to do our best and win the match.

“It is a very difficult job if you describe that to anyone, understanding the emotion and pressure.

“This is not a game that I, the coach, or the players can win for us. We need to have a shared responsibility; everyone has to step up.

“And of course, playing in the stadium, I would love to see it full. I hope that tomorrow everyone will appreciate that and support the team,” Ekong concluded.