2026 WCQ Playoff: NFF President Musa Gusau backs Super Eagles to overcome Gabon on Thursday

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has expressed strong belief in the Super Eagles’ ability to secure victory in Thursday’s World Cup qualifying playoff against Gabon.

Gusau said he has full faith in the players’ determination and quality to make the nation proud as they aim for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“We believe in the players and their ability to make Nigeria proud, not only on Thursday, but throughout these playoffs. We have a team capable of earning a World Cup ticket,” he stated as quoted on the NFF website.

NFF Technical Director and former Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, also voiced confidence in the team while acknowledging the recent strike incident.

“These boys that I know, that I have worked with, want to go to the FIFA World Cup. The aspiration of every professional footballer is to play at the World Cup and enhance their market value.

“The timing of the strike was wrong. They might have had their reasons but the timing was not the best. Having said that, I have faith in them to rise up to the occasion and do the business on Thursday, and afterwards, on Sunday,” Eguavoen said.

With the bonus dispute resolved on Wednesday, the team returned to training to finalise preparations for the Gabon game. The crucial encounter will kick off at 4 pm on Thursday.