Segun Odegbami’s Call for Super Eagles to Secure World Cup Voice Amidst Group C Drama

Former Nigerian international, Segun Odegbami, has delivered a powerful and timely message to the Super Eagles, urging them to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup not merely for national pride, but as a non-negotiable step to empower the entire African continent on the global geopolitical stage. Odegbami, an icon nicknamed ‘Mathematical’ during his playing days, views the forthcoming tournament as more than a sporting event—it is a critical platform where Africa must assert its voice and challenge what he terms “the injustice in global sports.” His call comes at the most decisive moment of the qualifying campaign, which has been thrown into a final-day scramble by a dramatic ruling from football’s governing body.

Speaking on the ‘Role of Sports in Global Geo-Politics,’ Odegbami articulated a vision where athletic excellence transcends the pitch, acquiring the strategic capacity to “checkmate the geopolitical games of the superpowers.” He firmly believes a successful Nigerian campaign will “earn Africa the respect to sit at the table of negotiations in a new world order,” a perspective deeply rooted in the continent’s significant contribution to the over $2 trillion global sports economy. He stressed the need for African nations to unify, declaring that “Africa must come as a superpower of a different kind, too,” urging a revival of tested geopolitical alliances to make a global statement for “the freedom and equality of all humanity.”

The weight of this continental expectation now rests squarely on the shoulders of the current Super Eagles squad. “It is very important for the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, so that Africa will have a voice. So, over to you, Victor Osimhen, Lookman Ademola, Troost William-Ekong, (Stanley) Nwabali, Tolu Arokodare, Simon Moses, Ola Aina, Tobi Amusan, Anthony Joshua, Ese Brume, and the rest of them,” the former winger stated, directly challenging the nation’s top talents both footballers and other elite athletes to rise to the moment.

Dependable NG reports that the Super Eagles’ campaign, which had been marred by inconsistent form that included a recent disappointing 1-1 home draw against South Africa, appeared to be teetering on the brink of disaster. However, a stunning, last-minute intervention by FIFA has created a lifeline that has completely reshaped the qualification matrix. The governing body’s decision to sanction South Africa, stripping the Bafana Bafana of three crucial points and three goals for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, against Lesotho, has sensationally reopened the door for Nigeria. The sanction has dropped South Africa from the top of the table.

As it stands heading into the final matchdays in October 2025, Group C is a two-way tie for the lead, with Benin Republic and South Africa both on 14 points, while Nigeria and Rwanda trail closely behind on 11 points each. With only the group winner securing one of the nine highly-coveted automatic African slots for the expanded 48-team World Cup in North America, the task ahead for the Super Eagles is clear and absolute: six points are required from the remaining two fixtures.

The qualification fate now hinges entirely on the October window. The Super Eagles must first secure a comprehensive victory against Lesotho on October 10. The ultimate decider, however, is slated for four days later, when Nigeria faces current group leaders Benin Republic in a match that is now a de facto final. Only two wins will guarantee the Super Eagles’ passage to the tournament and fulfil Odegbami’s clarion call for Africa to reclaim its standing in global sport. The geopolitical significance has never been clearer; for Nigeria, the road to the World Cup is now the path to power.