As Nigeria’s Super Eagles prepare for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday, the team remains unfazed by historical struggles against the Amavubi on Rwandan soil.
Previous encounters between the two sides in Rwanda have ended in stalemates, including a 1-1 draw during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers and two goalless draws in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and last year’s 2025 AFCON qualifiers. Despite these results, the Super Eagles are confident ahead of their latest showdown.
Captain William Troost-Ekong expressed optimism about the team’s preparations, with all 23 invited players arriving at the Super Eagles’ camp at the Radisson Blu hotel on Tuesday night. The squad participated in their second training session on Wednesday, with the final official practice set for Thursday evening at the Amahoro Stadium.
Star striker Victor Osimhen, who was among the early arrivals, will be a key player for Nigeria. The Napoli forward, fresh off a hat-trick that made him the new leading scorer in the Turkish Super Lig with 20 goals, now boasts 23 international goals in 47 appearances.
Supporting Osimhen in attack are reigning African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman, along with Simon Moses, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar, and new invitee Tolu Arokodare, all expected to test Rwanda’s defense.
The highly anticipated clash, which marks head coach Éric Sékou Chelle’s first competitive match in charge of the Super Eagles, kicks off on Friday at 6 p.m. Rwanda time (5 p.m. Nigerian time).