NFSC Boss, Ikpea, Urges Super Eagles to Make the Most of CAF Playoff Lifeline
By Joseph Odoekwu KSM
The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup isn’t over yet for the Super Eagles and the National Chairman of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Rev. (Amb.) Samuel Ikpea, wants the team to grab their second chance with both hands.
Ikpea, who also represents Brazilian giants Santos FC in Nigeria, spoke in Lagos with renewed optimism, urging the Eagles to focus and turn their CAF playoff opportunity into something memorable.
“We (NFSC) were in Uyo to cheer the team when they smashed Benin Republic 4–0 to grab one of the four best-loser spots after missing out on direct qualification,” Ikpea recalled.
“Now that this lifeline has come, the Super Eagles must take it seriously and push through to the FIFA-organized playoff in the United States.”
He also reassured the team that the NFSC, the country’s apex supporters’ body is fully behind them, both on and off the pitch.
“That 4–0 win against Benin Republic was one of the best Super Eagles performances I’ve seen in the last decade,” Ikpea added.
“The players and technical crew must sustain that momentum, that’s the kind of energy that will take us to the World Cup. We believe in this team, and they just need to keep going.”
Up next, the Super Eagles will face Gabon on November 13, 2025, in one of the CAF playoff ties. A win would set up a clash against the winner between Cameroon and DR Congo.
Victory in both rounds will earn Nigeria CAF’s sole ticket to the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament in the United States this December, where six teams from other continents will battle for the final spots in the 2026 World Cup.
With the kind of fire they showed in Uyo, fans are hopeful the Eagles will soar once again this time, all the way to the global stage.
