Six games into their qualification campaign — with just four more to go — the Super Eagles‘ chances of securing a direct ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup are not looking very good.
Picking up a first win of the campaign, against Rwanda last Friday, briefly raised hopes, before a draw at home Zimbabwe five days later brought them tumbling down again.
Even the more circuitous route to qualification via a second-place finish is currently out of the Super Eagles’ hands, leaving them on the brink of failure.
And should things pan out that way, barring some herculean salvage act by Eric Chelle's charges, it would be quite the tragedy not just for some of the biggest stars in the game, but primarily for Nigeria's massive North American fanbase.
Super Eagles missing the 2026 World Cup would rob the Nigerian diaspora
The prospect of a major international tournament in North America brings up fond memories for Nigerian football fans of a certain generation, namely those old enough to have seen their nation wreathed in gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics Men's football tournament hosted by the United States of America (USA).
It also recalls the excitement of the Super Eagles' impressive World Cup debut in the same country two years earlier, when the Super Eagles caused quite a stir by reaching the knockout rounds on their first attempt.
Very often do they speak of those feats with nostalgia to younger folk who would love to have similar experiences of their own — but not if Nigeria miss the train to the 2026 Mundial, to be jointly hosted by the North American trio of Mexico, Canada… and, yes, the USA.
It also happens that there is a rather sizable population of Nigerians living and working in those lands — the last two, specifically.
The USA ranks first among countries with the highest populations of Nigerians overseas, according to 2024 data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with Canada also featuring, albeit a considerable distance behind, in the top 10 of that same list.
With over 360,000 Nigerians in the USA and Canada combined, there should be no shortage of fans with relatively easy access to games. This strong presence would potentially provide the Super Eagles with a level of support that has been difficult to replicate in some past tournaments.
In previous editions held in places like Japan, Russia, France, Brazil, or even South Africa, the team could not always count on a significant fanbase. However, this time, that passionate backing could be exactly what they need to soar to new heights on the global stage.
