Super Eagles fixtures: When will African World Cup qualifying resume?

Football competitions around the world have been brought to a halt by the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak.

Most of the world's leagues have been suspended as a result of the pandemic, and plenty of improbability remains when it comes to the potential return date of professional football.

The story is not different in Africa as the Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup were postponed to prevent the coronavirus spread.

However, with severe lockdown rules getting relaxed, numerous African fixture lists will see far-reaching changes in an effort to get outstanding football competitions concluded.

The 2022 Fifa World Cup qualification campaign is another outstanding schedule on the road to Qatar.

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Which teams will Nigeria face?

Having drawn a bye in the first round of qualification, Gernot Rohr’s men were handed a dangerous group in the second round of games.

According to the draw held on January 21, 2020 Nigeria will slug it out against Cape Verde, Central African Republic and Liberia.

Failure for the three-time African champions to manoeuvre their way past their rivals in Group C will end their ambitions at the quadrennial football showpiece.

Since making their debut in USA 1994, the Super Eagles have only failed on one occasion to qualify for the competition, and this was in 2006.  

Their best outings in the competition were in 1994, 1998 (France), and 2014 (Brazil) where they reached the Round of 16.

Cape Verde, Central African Republic and Liberia have never qualified for the global tournament.

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When will Nigeria commence their qualifiers?

Nigeria was meant to begin their journey to Qatar on October 5, 2020, although the Federation of International Football Association (Fifa) had never confirmed the fixtures.

Notwithstanding, Covid-19 has proven to be a cog in the wheel of progress as it has generated heated arguments on when football should return or not.

For instance, the leagues in France, Angola, Niger Republic, Belgium, and so many countries have ended abruptly, while the fate of England’s Premier League is yet to be finalised.

Euro 2020 has been pushed to 2021, while this season’s Champions League and the 2021 Nations League Finals have been shifted.

Should the coronavirus problem persist in the months to come - leading to the suspension of the beautiful game again, then only President Gianni Infantino and Fifa can answer where the Super Eagles can go from there.