Nigeria’s Super Eagles have slipped further into trouble in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, falling five points behind Group C leaders Benin Republic following the Cheetahs’ 2-2 draw with Zimbabwe on Thursday, Soccernet.ng reports.

Heading into matchday five, Group C was delicately balanced, with Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin all level on seven points at the top. Lesotho sat in fourth place with four points, while Nigeria languished in fifth with just three, narrowly ahead of bottom-placed Zimbabwe on two points.

With Zimbabwe and Benin playing a day before Nigeria’s crucial clash against Rwanda, the Super Eagles faced the risk of sinking to the bottom of the group had Zimbabwe secured victory.

However, a dramatic encounter at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban—where Zimbabwe played their home fixture—ended in a 2-2 stalemate, sparing Nigeria from further embarrassment but allowing Benin to take control of the group.

Benin surged into a two-goal lead in the first half, courtesy of strikes from Steve Mounié and Dodo Dokou.

Zimbabwe, however, displayed remarkable resilience. Wolves midfielder Marshall Munetsi pulled one back just before the break, and returning captain Knowledge Musona levelled the score shortly after the restart.

The result propelled Benin to the top of the standings, while Rwanda and South Africa, who face Lesotho later on Friday, slipped to second place.

Nigeria remain in fifth place, but the gap to the summit has now widened to five points—a concerning scenario for the three-time African champions.

The Super Eagles now have a golden opportunity to regain ground when they take on Rwanda in Kigali on Friday.

A victory would narrow the gap to two points, but history does not favour Nigeria. The Super Eagles have never beaten Rwanda away from home, managing only three draws in previous encounters. Worse still, they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to the Amavubi in Uyo during the last Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

With their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, anything less than a win in Kigali could leave Nigeria facing an uphill battle to qualify for the 2026 tournament.