Nigeria’s Super Eagles may feature in a newly proposed global tournament for nations that failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to reports.
World Soccer Talks reported that Russia is pushing ahead with plans for an alternative competition to be staged during the World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Read Also: ICPC’s Anti-Corruption Unit in NFF Excites Sanusi Mohammed
The proposed event—informally tagged a “World Cup for the non-qualified”, aimed at featuring countries that missed out on the expanded 48-team showpiece.
The reported format would include between eight and twelve nations such as Russia, Serbia, Greece, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, China, Armenia, and possibly African sides like Nigeria and Cameroon.
Russia plans to host the competition in four of its 2018 World Cup stadiums, leveraging existing infrastructure to regain football visibility after its suspension from FIFA and UEFA competitions in 2022.
For the proposed participating nations, the tournament could provide an opportunity to maintain international competitiveness during a period traditionally dominated by World Cup activities.
Nigeria, who fell short after finishing second to South Africa in the CAF qualifiers before losing on penalties to DR Congo in the African playoff final, are among the countries being considered.
However, several uncertainties linger. It remains unclear whether national federations—especially in Africa—would agree to take part, given the lack of FIFA recognition, potential political implications, and scheduling conflicts.
As the football world builds toward 2026, Russia’s proposal is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about off-field stories, with Nigeria quietly positioned as one of the potential headline participants.
