The Super Eagles of Nigeria are staring at the unthinkable — missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

On a chilly evening in Bloemfontein, Nigeria went into their crunch clash with South Africa already under pressure, sitting third in Group C and six points adrift of the leaders. Victory was the only acceptable outcome, but the West Africans faltered once again.

The drama began in the 27th minute when captain William Troost-Ekong, under pressure, deflected the ball into his own net to give Bafana Bafana the lead. A brief sigh of relief came before halftime as Calvin Bassey rose highest to nod in the equaliser. But despite a spirited second-half performance, the Eagles failed to break through South Africa’s resolute defence.

The 1-1 draw leaves Nigeria on 11 points, still six points adrift of South Africa, who now sit comfortably at the top with 17 points. With just two games left to play, the road to qualification looks dangerously narrow.

To make matters worse, South Africa will host both Lesotho and Zimbabwe in their final fixtures — matches they are widely expected to win, especially as Zimbabwe currently plays their “home” games in South Africa.

For Nigeria, the margin of error is gone. Anything short of perfection in their final two matches could see the three-time African champions watching the World Cup from their living rooms.