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The two Asian minnows have succeeded where Nigeria's mighty Super Eagles have struggled, qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
While Nigeria’s Super Eagles continue to stumble in their World Cup qualifying campaign, Uzbekistan and Jordan have risen to the occasion, booking their first-ever tickets to football’s biggest stage.
In a historic night for Asian football, both nations sealed qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Uzbekistan and Jordan qualify for first World Cups
It has taken Jordan 11 qualification attempts and decades of heartbreak, but Jamal Sellami’s side finally made it to the World Cup finals.
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The breakthrough came after a commanding 3-0 win over Oman, powered by an Ali Olwan hat-trick that put them on the path to qualification.
Celebrations had to wait until later, as the team’s fate still depended on the outcome of Iraq versus South Korea, and in Basra, Korea’s 2-0 win, ended Iraq’s hopes and confirmed Jordan’s historic qualification.
Uzbekistan also secured their place at the World Cup finals for the first time, ending a frustrating run of near misses over eight qualification campaigns.
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All they needed was a point against the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, and that is exactly what they earned. A gritty 0-0 draw, backed by three outstanding second-half saves from goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov, was enough to send them through from Group A alongside Iran.
Nigeria still struggling in World Cup qualification group
For nations that have hovered on the periphery of Asia’s elite footballing nations for years, this achievement just goes to show what can be achieved with planning, cohesion, and timely execution, something Nigeria is still struggling to master.
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In contrast to Uzbekistan and Jordan, Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ qualification hopes hang precariously as the giants of Africa will need a miracle or two to qualify for the World Cup.
The Super Eagles are six points adrift of South Africa at the top of their qualifying group, and languish in fourth, behind the Bafana Bafana, as well as Rwanda and Benin.
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With the last four World Cup qualifiers coming up in September and October, Nigeria will need all the help that they can get to overturn their atrocious start to the qualifiers and head for the Americas in 2026.
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