Three times Nigeria failed to qualify for World Cup

By Enitan Abdultawab

Since Nigeria’s first appearance at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, the Super Eagles has established themselves as one of Africa’s most reliable performers on the international front since making a memorable debut at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

In that debut, they topped Group D (containing Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece) before being eliminated in a heartbreaking 2-1 Round of 16 loss to Italy.

However, things have gone somewhat awry since then, and the Super Eagles have suffered heartbreaking losses throughout the years, missing out on the competition at crucial times.

There has been a total of seven editions since the 1994 edition, and the Super Eagles have missed out on three occasions.

2006

Nigeria’s 2006 World Cup qualification campaign ultimately ended in disappointment despite a strong overall performance.

Drawn in a group alongside Angola, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Gabon, the race was widely expected to be between Nigeria and Algeria, but Angola emerged as the surprise contenders.

The Super Eagles began with a 2-0 victory over Rwanda, courtesy of a brace from Obafemi Martins. However, a crucial 1-0 loss to Angola in Luanda, where several first-team players were unavailable, proved decisive.

Although Nigeria went on to win their remaining matches, including emphatic victories over Zimbabwe (5-1) and Algeria (5-2), they were held by Angola in Kano, failing to overturn the head-to-head disadvantage.

Both teams finished level on 20 points, but Angola qualified for their first-ever World Cup on head-to-head, leaving Nigeria to miss out.

2022

Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup ended in a painful playoff defeat to rivals Ghana.

After topping their qualifying group ahead of Liberia, Cape Verde and the Central African Republic, the Super Eagles faced Ghana in the final round.

The first leg in Kumasi ended goalless, leaving everything to play for in Abuja. In the return leg, Thomas Partey gave Ghana the lead with a long-range effort before William Troost-Ekong equalised from the penalty spot.

Despite creating several chances, Nigeria failed to find a winner, as the match ended 1-1. Ghana progressed on away goals rule, securing qualification at Nigeria’s expense.

The result sparked unrest at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, with fans invading the pitch, damaging facilities, and clashing with security personnel, who used tear gas to restore order.

2026

Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup for a consecutive time, losing the playoffs to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Drawn in a six-team group, the Super Eagles failed to win any of their first four matches, only securing their first victory on matchday five away to Rwanda. Across the remaining fixtures, Nigeria managed three wins, including a 4-0 victory over the Benin Republic on the final matchday, with Victor Osimhen scoring a hat-trick, alongside two draws.

However, Nigeria missed out on automatic qualification, finishing second behind South Africa but still securing a place in the playoffs.

In the African playoffs, Nigeria defeated Gabon 4-1 in the first round, but their campaign ended after a 1-1 draw against DR Congo, losing 4-3 on penalties.

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