I am 100% sure - Eguavoen backs Super Eagles to qualify for 2026 World Cup

Former Super Eagles head coach, Augustine Owen Eguavoen, has thrown his weight behind the three-time AFCON champions to defy the odds and qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite their current precarious position in the qualifying group.

The 59-year-old, who recently concluded his fourth stint as the national team's interim head coach, took the reins after Finidi George stepped down following two competitive matches.

Eguavoen successfully guided the Super Eagles to qualification for the 2025 AFCON tournament before Eric Chelle was appointed as the permanent head coach.

Currently sitting in fourth place in their World Cup qualifying group, the Super Eagles face a daunting task, needing to win all their remaining matches to stand a chance of securing a spot in the prestigious tournament next year.

Despite this challenging scenario, Eguavoen remains optimistic.

“It’s easier said than done, but we have the potential and the personnel,” he told ACL Sports.

He continued, “The World Cup is the highest level of football anyone wants to participate in. It’s a tight rope we’re walking, but everything is possible.”

Eguavoen emphasised the importance of unity and the players' own desire to compete on the global stage.

“With the boys we have now and every Nigerian coming together, it is doable. I’m 100% sure because the players want to be at the World Cup,” he asserted.

Eguavoen stressed a forward-thinking approach for the team.

“I’m not looking back at the last game, I’m looking forward to the next one. That’s the mindset: one game at a time, treat every game like a final,” he concluded.