Former Super Eagles coordinator and respected football administrator, Emmanuel Danjuma Attah, has voiced strong confidence that Nigeria will triumph in both the CAF and FIFA Intercontinental Playoffs to secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The three-time African champions narrowly missed out on automatic qualification from Group C, finishing second behind Benin Republic. However, their late resurgence earned them a lifeline — a ticket to the CAF Playoffs, where they will first battle Gabon in November in Morocco.

If victorious, the Super Eagles will face either Cameroon or DR Congo for a place in the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff scheduled for March 2026 in Mexico.

Despite acknowledging the tough path ahead, Attah — who also served as Chairman of the FCT Football Association — expressed faith in the team’s quality and resilience, citing their spirited performance in the recent 3–1 victory over Benin Republic as proof of what they can achieve.

> “It’s not the position we wanted, but securing a playoff slot is still commendable,” Attah told Daily Trust.
“If the boys had played with 70% of that same energy earlier in the campaign, we would have been the first African nation to qualify.
Now, it’s the long road, but I strongly believe Nigeria will emerge Africa’s representative in the Playoff and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.”

However, Attah issued a word of caution to the team’s goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, whose risky decisions in recent games nearly caused heartbreak for millions of Nigerian fans.

> “Nwabali must be warned against dangerous antics,” Attah lamented.
“Did he want to send football-crazy Nigerians to their early graves? These are not schoolboy games. During the match against Lesotho, my blood pressure spiked dangerously — I had to take emergency medication!”

As the Super Eagles prepare for their crucial playoff journey, Attah’s faith captures the nation’s collective hope — that the green and white will once again fly proudly on football’s grandest stage.