Maurice Kambukwe & Hesron Kapanga
National senior men’s football team coach Collin Benjamin has expressed his thoughts on the recent 2026 World Cup qualifiers draw, saying it is possible to qualify but more will need to be done to execute the plan.
The Warriors were placed in Group H during the World Cup qualifier draw held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, last Thursday. The group includes formidable opponents such as Tunisia, the victorious African Cup of Nations team from 2004, as well as Malawi, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, and Sao Tome and Principe.
The matches will follow a round-robin format, with the leading team from each group after Match Day 10 earning an automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The prestigious event is set to be hosted jointly by the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada.
Additionally, the four best second-placed teams from all nine groups will engage in a continental playoff, determining a single victor who will then proceed to a second and final playoff.
This final stage will comprise six teams from various confederations, with the top two emerging as qualified participants, ultimately making up the 48 competing teams.
With the qualifiers commencing this November, match days one and two will be held between the 13th and 21st of November. The third and fourth match days are scheduled for June 2024. Reacting to the draw recently, Benjamin said he is happy with the group Namibia is placed in but stressed that the team would have to return to playing home games at home to ensure that the plan is achieved.
“Everything is possible when it’s done intentionally. We cannot be singing a song, and nothing is done. It’s important to win at home, and that needs to happen when we can start playing our games at home,” he said.
“It will be exciting to see our president watching matches at home as he has done in the past. We are looking forward to competing at home and making our country proud. Things should be done to make this wish possible for every Namibian,” he added.
Also speaking on Namibia’s chances and how the group currently looks, James Britz, who led Namibia’s U/20 national football side to the U/20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2021, said he is happy with the group Namibia is in and strongly believes the team
is capable of qualifying, looking at the
current squad.
“”I have complete faith in our squad and firmly believe we have more than enough potential to secure our spot in the FIFA
World Cup,” he said.
Acknowledging Tunisia’s strength, Britz recognised them as the team that could potentially challenge the Brave Warriors.
However, he maintained that the team’s position surpasses that of their rivals, showing respect to the other teams in the group. Highlighting the talent within the current squad, Britz expressed optimism, emphasising the importance of nurturing and guiding the players in the right
direction.
“The current crop of players is looking promising, and with proper development, I am confident that we will be proudly representing our nation in America and Mexico,” he said.
The final match day of the qualifiers is scheduled for the week of October 6-14, while the Continental playoff will take place from November 10-18, 2025, with the venue yet to be announced. The FIFA playoff tournament has been slated for March 2026, adding to the excitement of this highly anticipated sporting event.