Victor Osimhen shifts focus to Nigeria’s World Cup playoff

Galatasaray star Victor Osimhen has turned his attention to the upcoming 2026 World Cup playoff as he aim to help the Super Eagles secure a place at the mundial.

The West African football heavyweights missed out on automatic World Cup qualification, and are set to participate in a playoff to determine their fate for the tournament to be staged in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The playoff structure sees Nigeria face Gabon on November 13, while Cameroon takes on DR Congo. The winners will compete on November 16 for a spot in the intercontinental playoffs.

However, the former Napoli star has brushed aside frustration from his disallowed goal and Galatasaray’s narrow defeat to newly promoted Kocaelispor, insisting his focus is now on the Super Eagles’ World Cup playoff campaign.

The 26-year-old striker played full throttle of the match as Galatasaray suffered their first defeat of the season in the Turkish top-flight. Osimhen’s equalizer was cancelled by VAR. The goal was ruled out because teammate Sara was deemed offside in the build-up, sparking protests from Galatasaray players and fans.

Despite the setback, Nigerian supporters have reason to smile as Osimhen finished the match without injury, a major boost for coach Eric Chelle ahead of Thursday’s semi-final clash against Gabon in Rabat, Morocco.

“I have to travel, I have to travel,” he said in a video that went viral after the match.

Quizzed about the disallowed goal, Osimhen replied, “The game has happened, I have moved on from that. Now I focus on my national team.”

Osimhen also picked up a yellow card in the tense encounter but remains fully fit and ready to lead Nigeria’s attack.

In the Turkish league, he trails compatriot Paul Onuachu in the Golden Boot race — Onuachu has eight goals for Trabzonspor, five more than Osimhen. The two will now reunite in the Super Eagles camp as Nigeria pushes to move one step closer to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.