Nigeria powered into the CAF World Cup Qualifiers playoff final after smashing Gabon 4–1 in extra time, setting up a showdown with a resurgent DR Congo side on Sunday.
The Super Eagles accelerated when it mattered, turning a tense contest into a statement win as they moved one step closer to returning to the global stage.
DR Congo booked their own ticket to the final in the most dramatic fashion.
Chancel Mbemba stunned Cameroon with a 91st-minute strike at Stade Al Barid, silencing the Indomitable Lions and sending the Leopards surging into the last phase of African qualifying.
His late winner ended Cameroon’s World Cup hopes and ignited belief across DR Congo’s camp as they chase their first World Cup appearance since 1974.
Both teams now stand on the edge of history.
Sunday’s final won’t deliver an automatic ticket to North America, but it will secure a place in the intercontinental play-offs in March 2026, where six nations from different continents will fight for the final two World Cup slots.
Nigeria arrive with momentum and firepower. DR Congo arrive with grit, resolve, and Mbemba in inspired form.
Everything now comes down to Sunday — ninety minutes that could define a generation for either nation.
The match will kick off at 8pm at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
