Why Nigeria is missing the 2026 World Cup
Nigeria are coming off one of their best performances in the Africa Cup of Nations, securing third place ahead of Egypt. While they are one of the most historic national teams in Africa, they have now gone eight years without appearing at a World Cup, having also missed out on the 2026 edition. Throughout history, Nigeria have been one of the most renowned national teams in Africa, producing numerous stars. In addition, they recently finished third in the Africa Cup of Nations, surpassing Egypt. Despite this, they failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, disappointing many supporters. As a result, they have now gone eight years without appearing in the tournament, bringing a strong streak to an end. After finishing second in Group C of the African Qualifiers, they were forced to decide their qualification against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a short playoff. Even though they drew the game, they lost on penalties, being eliminated from World Cup participation for the second consecutive edition. Despite having players such as Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, and Akor Adams, they have failed to reestablish as one of the best teams in Africa. Unlike Senegal or Morocco, Nigeria have not developed a collective playing style, causing them to be consistently outperformed. In addition, head coach Eric Chelle has not managed to get the best out of his biggest star, Victor Osimhen. As one of the best teams in Africa, Nigeria being surpassed by South Africa proved fatal to their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup. Not only do the Super Eagles possess more globally recognized stars, but they also were not in a particularly competitive group. Despite this, head coach Eric Chelle remains in charge, aiming to build a competitive project for the long term. Samuel Chimerenka Chukwueze of Nigeria and Salis Addul-Samed of Ghana. How many times have Nigeria played in the World Cup? Throughout their history, Nigeria have become one of the most representative teams in Africa. Making their tournament debut in the 1994 edition, they have gone on to participate in a total of six World Cup editions. In addition, they were coming off a strong run, having secured their place in the 2010, 2014, and 2018 editions, where their best result was reaching the Round of 16. Even though they failed to qualify for the 2026 edition, the Super Eagles have a strong opportunity to rebuild their squad and return for the 2030 World Cup. However, they may need to build their sporting project around Victor Osimhen, as he is one of the best players in Africa and could be a difference-maker. In addition, they have shown the ability to stabilize their performances, providing a solid foundation for the future.