Rwanda’s national football team, Amavubi, departed Kigali International Airport on Tuesday en route to Nigeria, where they will face the Super Eagles in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier. The 24-man delegation is led by newly elected Rwanda Football Association (FERWAFA) president Shema Ngoga Fabrice, marking his first major assignment since assuming office.
The upcoming fixture marks Matchday 7 of the qualifiers, and Amavubi will be aiming to secure a vital result on the road as the race for a World Cup berth intensifies. In their previous meeting, Rwanda suffered a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria at Stade Amahoro on March 21, 2025, during Matchday 5 of the qualifiers.
Both teams head into the match with high stakes, as they trail behind Group C leaders South Africa, who currently sit on 13 points pending FIFA’s decision on an alleged use of an ineligible player in their win over Lesotho in March.
Rwanda currently sits second in the group with 8 points, level with Benin, while Nigeria is just behind in fourth place with 7 points. Lesotho follows with 6 points, and Zimbabwe anchors the table with 4 points.
With the group standings so tightly contested, the result in Nigeria could prove decisive for both teams’ World Cup ambitions.
