How Eritrea pulling out could boost Zaidu’s World Cup 2026 hopes | OneFootball

The withdrawal of Eritrea has complicated the situation and may lead to changes in the African qualification for the 2026 World Cup. According to FIFA regulations, these changes are indeed expected.

Currently, only the winners of each group secure direct qualification. The four best runners-up advance to a playoff that will decide the additional spot for the tournament to be held next year in Mexico, Canada, and the United States of America.

With Eritrea's exit, CAF (Confederation of African Football) and FIFA are considering excluding the points earned by each team against the last-placed team in each group when determining the four best runners-up. This proposal arises because Eritrea's group now has only five teams, while the others still have six.

This possibility is provided for in FIFA regulations and, according to the African press, is expected to be formally announced in the coming days.

This change could benefit teams like Nigeria, with Zaidu (FC Porto), giving them new momentum in the fight for qualification. The Nigerians currently occupy third place in Group C, behind South Africa and Benin. In this new scenario, they just need to win the remaining two games and recover the goal difference against Benin – their opponent in the last round – to be among the best runners-up.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.