The Super Eagles of Nigeria remain the second-highest ranked national team not featuring at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after retaining 26th place in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings.
Only Denmark, placed 21st in the global standings, are higher among the nations that failed to qualify for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada and will feature 48 teams for the first time in its history.
The absence of Nigeria has drawn attention beyond Africa, with former England captain and Chelsea defender John Terry expressing disappointment that the West African nation will not be part of the expanded competition.
“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 roundtable session organised by SuperSport.
“I think they are a big miss because Nigeria probably would have gone further in the competition, but unfortunately, one side’s loss is another’s gain,” the former England captain added.
Despite their high ranking and strong continental standing, Nigeria fell short in qualification under head coach Eric Chelle.
The Super Eagles finished second in Group C of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) qualifiers, finishing behind South Africa, who secured automatic qualification for the tournament.
That result pushed Nigeria into the playoff route, where they kept their hopes alive with a semi-final victory over Gabon. However, their campaign ended in heartbreak in the decisive playoff final, where they were beaten on penalties by the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The defeat meant Nigeria will miss a second consecutive World Cup, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Following the loss, the Nigeria Football Federation launched a challenge against DR Congo’s qualification, alleging the use of ineligible players during the playoff campaign. However, the appeal was later dismissed, confirming Nigeria’s absence from the tournament.
Even without World Cup qualification, Nigeria remain one of Africa’s strongest footballing nations. They are currently ranked third on the continent, behind Morocco and Senegal, with Algeria and Egypt completing Africa’s top five teams.
On the global stage, Morocco are the highest-ranked African nation, sitting seventh in the world rankings, ahead of several established European sides.
At the top of the world rankings, reigning World Cup champions Argentina remain number one, with Spain, France, England and Portugal completing the top five. Brazil sit in sixth place, followed by Morocco, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
The upcoming World Cup will therefore feature several highly ranked nations while also notably missing others, with Nigeria’s absence standing out given their global ranking and reputation.
The next update to the FIFA men’s world rankings is scheduled for 20 July, one day after the World Cup final concludes in North America.
