As Nigeria continues its 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, six Super Eagles players are just one yellow card away from facing a one-match suspension.
Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Tolu Arokodare, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Sadiq Umar have all received one booking each in the qualifiers so far.
Ndidi, Iwobi, and Arokodare were cautioned during Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Rwanda last Friday, while Bassey, Osayi-Samuel, and Umar had picked up yellow cards earlier in the campaign.
According to FIFA regulations, players who receive two yellow cards in separate matches within the same competition are automatically suspended for the following game.
“If a person receives a caution in two separate matches of the same FIFA competition, they are automatically suspended from the next match in that competition. Such suspensions must be served before any other,” the rule states.
The Super Eagles are set to take on Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday (today). With key players walking a disciplinary tightrope, head coach Eric Chelle may need to carefully manage his squad to avoid losing vital players for future matches in the qualification series.
Nigeria currently aims to maintain its new found start to the qualifiers as they push for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
