The Super Eagles have announced their starting line-up for Thursday’s decisive 2026 World Cup playoff encounter against Gabon at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
According to a post on the team’s official X handle, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi will captain the side, while Calvin Bassey and Benjamin Frederick will anchor the defence. The Nigeria Football Federation also confirmed that Alex Iwobi will make his 90th appearance for the national team, marking another milestone in his international career.
In attack, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen will lead the frontline alongside Akor Adams, as Nigeria looks to secure a vital win to advance to the next stage of the qualifiers.
Starting XI:
Goalkeeper: Stanley Nwabali
Defenders: Benjamin Frederick, Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey, Bright Osayi-Samuel
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Captain), Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze
Forwards: Victor Osimhen, Akor Adams
Substitutes: Maduka Okoye, Ola Aina, Frank Onyeka, Michael Onyemaechi, Abdullahi, Moses Simon, Obasogie, Nwadike, Chidozie Awaziem, and Olusegun.
The fixture, scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. (Nigerian time), is a must-win for the Super Eagles, who finished second in Group C during the qualifiers. Nigeria’s performance in this match will determine whether they progress to the playoff final against either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo, slated for November 16, also in Rabat.
Victory in that final would bring the Super Eagles closer to booking their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, although the eventual African playoff winner will still need to face teams from other continents in an inter-confederation playoff series in March.
The encounter in Rabat is seen as a key test for Nigeria, who are eager to redeem themselves after a mixed qualifying campaign and secure a return to the world’s biggest football stage.
