The Super Eagles of Nigeria have been drawn alongside South Africa, Benin Republic, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Lesotho in group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification round.
The draw ceremony was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Thursday by the Confederation of Africa Football, CAF.
The World Cup qualifiers will see the resumption of the rivalry between Nigeria and Bayana Bayana of South Africa.
South Africa have only played in one World Cup in 2010 when they hosted the global football tournament. They are ranked 12th on the continent, 62nd in the world.
The two nations have played each other 14 times, with the Eagles winning seven and securing two draws.
The Super Eagles are ranked sixth on the continent and 39th in the world. They have qualified for the World Cup six times already and last featured in the tournament in 2018.
The three-time African champions will be seeking to qualify for the 7th time with their first participation being in 1994.
The West African side missed out on the last World Cup which was staged last year in Qatar having lost to the Black Stars of Ghana in the playoffs.
Senegal, African champions, were drawn in group B alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Mauritania, Sudan and Southern Sudan, while Morroco secured group E to face Zambia, Tanzania, Congo Brazzaville, Niger and Eritrea.
Ghana are in group I alongside Mali, Madagascar, the Central African Republic, Comoros and Chad.
In 2017, FIFA increased African slots at the World Cup to nine automatic tickets.
A tenth African country will participate in a six-nation playoff tournament to decide the last spot.
The winners of the nine groups in the qualification round will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, billed to be jointly hosted by US, Canada and Mexico with 48 participating countries.
The four best runners-up from the groups will play in a CAF playoff tournament.
The winner of the CAF playoff championship will play in the FIFA playoff tournament.
The first round of games is slated to take place between November 13-21 but it is unknown when the Super Eagles will play their first match.
FULL DRAW
Group A: Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Djibouti
Group B: Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Mauritania, Sudan and Southern Sudan
Group C: Nigeria, South Africa, Benin Republic, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Lesotho
Group D: Cameroon, Cape Verde, Angola, Libya, Eswatini and Mauritius
Group E: Morroco, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo Brazzaville, Niger and Eritrea.
Group F: Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, The Gambia, Burundi, Seychelles
Group G: Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, Somalia
Group H: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, Sao Tome e Principe
Group I: Ghana, Mali, Madagascar, the Central African Republic, Comoros and Chad.
Credits: All Nigeria Soccer, The cable, Bestchoicesports
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