2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Ademola Lookman to miss Nigeria v Benin encounter due to suspension

The Super Eagles have been dealt a significant setback ahead of their pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin on Tuesday evening.

Nigeria kept their qualification hopes alive with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Lesotho at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday.

However, the win came at a cost, as star forward Ademola Lookman received a yellow card that rules him out of the must-win clash against Benin.

Despite Lookman’s absence, Nigeria still retains a chance of securing automatic qualification for the World Cup, provided they defeat Benin and South Africa fail to beat Rwanda later Tuesday.

For Benin, the news is a boost. Coach Gernot Rohr singled out Lookman as one of Nigeria’s most dangerous attacking threats, alongside Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, and Alex Iwobi.

Speaking after Friday’s encounter, Rohr praised the tactical nature of the match.

“It was a very tactical match. A difficult match with very little football. But since it was so important, you can’t come here to put on a show. “We were here to get a result,” Rohr said, as per Soccernet.

“Playing against (Victor) Osimhen, (Ademola) Lookman, (Moses) Simon, (Alex) Iwobi. That’s another story. This result builds confidence.”

The much-anticipated game is scheduled to kick off at 16:00 GMT on Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.