Nigeria must beat Benin to keep World Cup hopes alive as SA plays

Nigeria must beat Benin on Tuesday in Uyo and hope for favourable results elsewhere to keep alive its slim chance of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with South Africa's concurrent match against Rwanda also carrying major implications for Group C and the continental runners-up standings. The Super Eagles host Group C leader Benin at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium at 5:00 p.m. local time in the final round of African qualifying, while South Africa travel to Mbombela for a kickoff scheduled the same evening.

The final-table permutations are tight. After adjustments to account for results against lowest-ranked sides, Confederation of African Football standings show Gabon on 16 points and Burkina Faso on 15 with fixtures completed, effectively locking in two of the four available playoff berths for the best group runners-up. That leaves Niger on 15 points with fixtures completed, Cameroon on 14, DR Congo on 13, Uganda on 12 and Nigeria on 12 in a close race for the remaining two playoff places.

Nigeria goes into the match needing a victory to move level with Benin on points and to have a chance of finishing second in Group C. Depending on scorelines and tiebreakers, a...