Nigeria's Super Eagles are the second-highest-ranked team not going to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They are still ranked 26th in the latest FIFA men’s World Ranking.
Only Denmark, ranked 21st in the world, is higher among teams that did not qualify for the tournament. The World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
John Terry, the former England and Chelsea star, shared his disappointment. He called Nigeria a significant loss for the tournament, which will feature 48 teams for the first time.
“Nigeria will be a big miss. This is a World Cup for participants who haven’t had the opportunity to play in the tournament. I would have loved to see a top team like Nigeria there because they’ve got some great individuals. They’re a great nation,” Terry said during a virtual event hosted by SuperSport.
“I think they are a big miss because Nigeria probably would have gone further in the competition, but one side’s loss is another’s gain,” Terry added.
Eric Chelle’s team finished second in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers. They were behind South Africa, who secured automatic qualification. Nigeria kept their hopes alive with a playoff semi-final win over Gabon but lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the final playoff match. This marks Nigeria's second straight absence from the World Cup, as they also missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The Nigeria Football Federation later challenged DR Congo’s qualification. They alleged that DR Congo used ineligible players during the campaign, but the appeal was rejected.
Even though they will not play in the World Cup, the Super Eagles are still Africa’s third-highest-ranked team. They are behind Morocco, ranked seventh in the world, and Senegal. Algeria and Egypt round out the continent’s top five.
Defending champions Argentina lead the tournament as the world’s top-ranked team. They are followed by Spain, France, England, and Portugal. Brazil is ranked sixth, with Morocco, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany following.
The next FIFA World Ranking will come out on July 20, right after the World Cup final.
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