“Gabon is ready to take on Nigeria,” Thierry Mouyouma ahead of the 2026 World Cup playoffs
Gabon coach Thierry Mouyouma said he was confident ahead of facing Nigeria in the African playoff semi-final for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled for November in Morocco.
L’attaquant gabonais Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Gabon coach Thierry Mouyouma expressed confidence ahead of the showdown with Nigeria in the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled from November 13 to 16 in Morocco. The Panthers will lock horns with the Super Eagles for a place in the playoff final, the other tie pitting DR Congo against Cameroon. The winner of each matchup will then contest the intercontinental qualifiers in March 2026.
Gabon reached this stage after a remarkable group phase, finishing with 25 points (8 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss). Nigeria, meanwhile, secured their spot thanks to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Benin, propelled by a Victor Osimhen hat-trick.
Despite the frustration of not qualifying directly, Mouyouma insists his team is ready for this new challenge: « It’s hard to get 25 points and not qualify. We’re ready. It will be a good match against Nigeria, an excellent test before AFCON 2025», he told Sporting News Africa. The African playoffs therefore promise a high-level spectacle, with teams determined to play their last cards on the road to the North American World Cup.