18 Dreams on the Line. The World Cup 2026 Qualification Race Just Got Messy
By: Abudu Olalekan
I dey refresh livescore every five minutes like say na my own life depend on top. Because e be like say the whole football world don turn mad house right now. Only 18 spots remain for World Cup 2026 wey Canada, Mexico and USA go host. The rest don already pack their bags. The remaining ones? Dem dey fight like say tomorrow no dey.
Europe na pure wahala. Group C don turn Scotland into prayer warriors. Greece beat them 3-2 the other day, now Scotland dey one point behind Denmark. Tuesday na die. If Scotland no win, dem go just waka go house. Simple. No story.
Group J sef funny die. Wales still get small hope, but e be like hope wey dey ICU. Dem must hammer North Macedonia and still pray make Liechtenstein do the impossible – go Belgium collect draw or win. Liechtenstein wey never win any match since Noah build ark. You see the kind prayer Wales dey pray?
Belgium and Portugal just need small win each and dem don waka enter World Cup. Netherlands and Norway? Dem don nearly reach house, only mathematics wey no get sense fit stop them.
Now make we cross go Africa – the continent wey dey give me sleepless nights.
Nine teams don already qualify: Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and South Africa wey dey come back after 16 years. My brothers from Mzansi! I nearly cry when dem seal am.
But one spot remain. Just one. And Nigeria dey inside that pot with Congo, Rwanda, and few others. Victor Osimhen don turn to beast mode, scoring goals like say na free kick for training. Super Eagles get Congo next. That match no be match, na war. If we win, we fit lock that last ticket sharp sharp. If we draw or lose… make I no talk wetin go happen. My blood pressure never ready.
See the full list of who don already pack bag:
Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States (dem no need play qualifier, just dey wait for us)
Africa (9/10): Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Europe (only 3 so far): Croatia, England, France
Oceania: New Zealand
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
The rest of Europe still dey drag themselves for mud. Tuesday and next week go be bloody.
I remember 2022 when Ghana comot Uruguay with that penalty drama. This time around, the drama don start early. Somebody’s dream go die next week. Another person own go born. Football no get friend.
Me I just dey here with my garri and groundnut, phone for hand, heart for mouth. Because anything fit happen. One red card, one handball, one offside wey VAR no see – everything fit scatter table.
18 teams go smile reach America next year summer. Plenty go cry. That’s how e dey be.
Who you think go grab those last tickets? Drop am for comment. Make we argue small before the matches start.
