2026 World Cup qualifiers: Cameroon and Nigeria face elimination threat

Cameroon’s World Cup qualification hopes suffered a heavy blow after a 1-0 defeat to Cape Verde, while Nigeria’s struggles deepened following a 1-1 draw with South Africa.

Both African giants now face the real possibility of missing out on the 2026 tournament.

The September international window marked a decisive moment in Africa’s qualifiers.

Morocco and Tunisia have already secured their tickets to the finals, while Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana and Cape Verde are all in strong positions.

Côte d’Ivoire held Gabon to a goalless draw to remain on top of their group, and Senegal staged a dramatic comeback against DR Congo to seize first place.

But for other heavyweights, the situation is far less encouraging.

Cameroon, who reached the 2022 World Cup after an unforgettable playoff victory against Algeria, find themselves in serious danger.

The Indomitable Lions’ defeat in Praia has left them fifth in the ranking of best second-placed teams, with only two matches left to play.

Cape Verde, meanwhile, need just one more victory — against either Libya or Eswatini — to confirm a historic qualification.

The Lions’ struggles extend beyond the pitch.

Internal divisions between coach Marc Brys and federation president Samuel Eto’o, inadequate training conditions, and off-field controversies have unsettled the squad.

With only one win in their campaign, their path to Canada, Mexico and the United States looks increasingly improbable.

Nigeria’s plight is even more dramatic. Despite boasting talents such as Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, the Super Eagles have faltered throughout the qualifiers.

Their draw with South Africa leaves them six points adrift of the group leaders and three behind Benin in second.

Two victories and five draws underline a disappointing campaign plagued by instability — four different coaches have taken charge since January.

Having fallen short in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations final, Nigeria now stare at the possibility of missing consecutive World Cups for the first time in their history.

Elsewhere, DR Congo’s defeat to Senegal dented their hopes of finishing top of Group B, leaving them reliant on finishing as one of the best runners-up.

Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali also face uphill battles, trailing behind group leaders with slim margins for error.

The final two rounds in October will decide which nations survive and which fall.

With established powers on the brink, these qualifiers have proven some of the most unforgiving in African football history.