The 2026 FIFA World Cup is starting today, June 11 and will run till July 19 in Canada, Mexico and the United States. However, like the previous edition in 2022, Nigeria and her over 240 million football loving population will be watching passively.
Nigeria’s last FIFA World Cup appearance was at the 2018 tournament in Russia. The Super Eagles were eliminated in the group stage after a 2-0 win against Iceland, and defeats to Croatia (2-0) and Argentina.
Nigeria has qualified for the World Cup a total of six times (1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014, and 2018). The nation’s best performance was reaching the Round of 16 in 1994, 1998, and 2014. The team failed to qualify for the 2022 and 2026 tournaments.
For many Nigerians, the FIFA World Cup is more than just a football tournament. It is a month long celebration that sparks conversations in homes, offices, markets and viewing centres across the country.
But when the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the now expanded 48-team tournament, the build up and excitement of securing a spot gently eased out leaving many to wonder what could have been.
The emotional trauma of second consecutive absence at global football stage
Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup goes beyond missing 90 minutes of football. It affects national pride, limits opportunities for players and reduces the country’s visibility on the global sporting stage.
Whenever the Super Eagles qualify for a World Cup, there is a sense of unity that cuts across ethnic, religious and political divides. Millions of Nigerians rally behind a common goal, celebrating victories and enduring defeats together. The team becomes a symbol of national identity, giving citizens something positive to believe in. Without Nigeria at the tournament, that feeling of collective pride is difficult to replicate.
The impact is also felt among football fans. While many Nigerians continue to follow the competition and support other countries, it is not quite the same. The emotional connection that comes with seeing Nigerian players compete against the world’s best is missing, leaving many supporters as neutral observers rather than passionate participants.
There is an economic angle as well. Businesses often cash in on the excitement generated by the national team. Brands launch marketing campaigns, vendors sell jerseys and football merchandise, and viewing centres attract large crowds. Although World Cup fever still exists without Nigeria, the level of enthusiasm and spending tends to be lower when the country’s flag is not among those flying at the tournament.
It’s a shame – Super Eagles player, Zaidu Sanusi
For Nigerian players, missing the World Cup means missing a global showcase. The competition has launched careers and increased the market value of countless footballers over the years. Scouts, agents and clubs closely monitor performances during the tournament. Without a place at the World Cup, Nigerian talents lose one of football’s biggest platforms to demonstrate their abilities.
Super Eagles defender, Zaidu Sanusi described Nigeria’s absence from the tournament as a major disappointment, insisting the team must learn from the setback and ensure it never happens again.
The Porto full-back admitted it was painful to see the Super Eagles miss out on football’s biggest tournament, especially with the competition expanding to accommodate more teams and a record number of African representatives.
“It’s a shame not to be at the 2026 World Cup. It has happened, and we have to ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” he said.
The experienced defender believes Nigeria must use the disappointment as motivation to rebuild and return stronger in future qualification campaigns.
According to Sanusi, the Super Eagles have a responsibility to re-establish themselves among the continent’s elite and consistently compete on the world stage.
“We need to take our spot as the giants of Africa and make it count next time,” he added.
World Cup without Nigeria but with Nigerians
The story of Nigerian heritage at the 2026 World Cup is ultimately larger than questions of eligibility or missed opportunities. It is a story about migration, identity and football’s ability to connect generations across continents.
While Nigeria’s absence remains a disappointment for millions of supporters, the tournament will still feature a remarkable Nigerian presence.
FIFA’s official squad lists show 1,248 players representing 48 nations at the tournament, the largest World Cup ever staged. However, among them are footballers playing for national teams other than the Super Eagles but with thick undeniable Nigerian roots.
England
No country illustrates that influence more clearly than England.
The Three Lions will arrive at the World Cup with three of their most dangerous attacking players tracing their roots to Nigeria.
The Three Lions squad includes several players with Nigerian heritage, among them Bukayo Saka, whose full name is Bukayo Ayoyinka Saka. He is joined by Eberechi Eze, listed in FIFA’s squad document as Eberechi Oluchi Eze. England’s squad also features Noni Madueke (Chukwunonso Azuka Tristan Madueke),
Saka remains one of England’s key figures after establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers.
Alongside Arsenal teammates, Eze and Madueke, whose Nigerian heritage has long been part of discussions around dual-nationality footballers, they will hope to help England end their fifty-year wait for another World Cup since the 1966 feat.
Together, they represent a generation of players born and developed in England but raised in households that maintained strong Nigerian cultural ties.
Germany
Germany also boasts significant Nigerian representation.
At the centre is Bayern Munich playmaker Jamal Musiala, arguably one of the most gifted attacking midfielders at the tournament.
Born to a British-Nigerian father and a German mother, Musiala was eligible for multiple countries before committing to Germany.
He is joined by Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha, whose Nigerian heritage is reflected in his full name, Felix Kalu Nmecha.
The duo could play key roles as Germany pursue a fifth world title.
Canada
Canada’s squad perhaps offers the clearest example of Nigeria’s growing football diaspora.
Forward Tani Oluwaseyi was born in Abuja before emigrating to Canada.
He is joined by striker Promise David and goalkeeper Owen Goodman, both of whom were eligible to represent Nigeria.
FIFA’s official squad records reflect the Nigerian family connections of all three players.
Their presence underlines the growing impact of Nigerian communities within Canadian football.
Nigeria’s influence extends beyond football’s traditional heavyweights.
Austria captain David Alaba remains one of the most recognisable footballers with Nigerian roots.
Born in Vienna to a Nigerian father and a Filipino mother, Alaba has spent more than a decade as the face of Austrian football.
Austria’s squad also includes midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, another player whose Nigerian family background is well documented.
Switzerland, meanwhile, will rely on two players with Nigerian heritage: defender Manuel Akanji and forward Noah Okafor.
Both have become established internationals after progressing through Switzerland’s development system.
France and America
France’s squad features Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, whose father is Nigerian.
Olise’s rise from English academy football to becoming one of France’s most exciting attacking talents illustrates the increasingly global pathways that define modern football.
The United States, one of the tournament hosts, will count on striker Folarin Balogun.
Born in New York to Nigerian parents and raised in England, Balogun embodies the international character of modern football identities.
The Nigerian footprint stretches even further.
Norway’s exciting winger Antonio Nusa has a Nigerian father and enters the tournament as one of Europe’s brightest young prospects.
South Africa defender Ime Okon also carries Nigerian heritage.
The obvious spread of players of Nigerian descent representing different countries across the tournament is some consolation that even if Nigeria is not present as a participating country, there are players who still carry the identity, the soul and spirit of excellence synonymous with the Green, White, Green.