World Cup
Nigeria Didn't Qualify for the 2026 World Cup – Here's Who to Support (and Root Against)
by Chike Nwoye
2 Jun 2026
We’re now days away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and if you’re Nigerian, you’ve probably come around to accept that shambolic Super Eagles World Cup qualifier campaign. I suspect you’ve reached the 5th stage of grief now; acceptance.
I still remember that awful feeling when we got knocked out of the playoffs by DR Congo and everything that came after. I mean, you’re telling me Africa got five extra slots for the biggest World Cup ever and somehow, we still won’t be there? Every few weeks someone is still asking, “did Nigeria qualify for the world cup?” and unfortunately, we already know the answer. In case you forgot, that’s now two tournaments in a row.
If, like me, you’ve accepted the Super Eagles won’t be there and you’re looking for a team to support during this tournament, then you’ve come to the right place. Allow me to give you some options while also sharing a few World Cup betting tips.
We’re now days away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and if you’re Nigerian, you’ve probably come around to accept that shambolic Super Eagles World Cup qualifier campaign. I suspect you’ve reached the 5th stage of grief now; acceptance.
I still remember that awful feeling when we got knocked out of the playoffs by DR Congo and everything that came after. I mean, you’re telling me Africa got five extra slots for the biggest World Cup ever and somehow, we still won’t be there? Every few weeks someone is still asking, “did Nigeria qualify for the world cup?” and unfortunately, we already know the answer. In case you forgot, that’s now two tournaments in a row.
If, like me, you’ve accepted the Super Eagles won’t be there and you’re looking for a team to support during this tournament, then you’ve come to the right place. Allow me to give you some options while also sharing a few World Cup betting tips.
Jump on the Bandwagon: Bet on the Big Dogs
Rooting for a club is difficult, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Arsenal fans are on top of the world right now, but for 22 years they were basically football’s laughing stock. Well, technically 21. Manchester United fans have been suffering since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013. Even the spoiled Real Madrid fans who usually dominate the Champions League are having a tough season.
So why not take the simple route this World Cup? Just back the big dogs - the teams that actually have a real shot at winning it. Since the World Cup began in 1930, there have only been eight different winners: Brazil (5), Germany (4), Italy (4), Argentina (3), France (2), Uruguay (2), England and Spain.
Italy isn't in this one, so we can cross them off. Make we no lie, Uruguay no dey win this thing - take them off the board too. Who else? Yeah, Brazil and Germany haven’t exactly been ruthless in tournaments in recent years, but we’ll still leave them in the mix for respect’s sake. So, that leaves us with six serious contenders. Just pick from that group and enjoy the ride - history says the winner is almost always coming from this pool. Besides, BetKing has the best World Cup winner odds for our online betting community.
Betting Tips:
- Bet on Spain to Win the World Cup @5.50
- Bet on France to Win the World Cup @5.57
- Bet on England to Win the World Cup @6.75
- Bet on Brazil to Win the World Cup @8.75
- Bet on Argentina to Win the World Cup @8.75
- Bet on Germany to Win the World Cup @14.00
Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: The Last Chapter
I could’ve sworn the Qatar 2022 World Cup was the final chapter for these two football icons, especially given their age. Yet here we are, four years later, still watching them captain their respective countries in pursuit of glory. Similar to how Mexico ‘86 is known as Diego Maradona's finest hour, Qatar 2022 is widely regarded as the Messi World Cup as Rosario’s 5-foot giant lifted the golden trophy with Argentina while “completing football” in the process. He would go on to win a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or as well. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, was left in tears after losing his starting spot to Gonçalo Ramos before Portugal was knocked out by Morocco in the quarterfinals.
Since that tournament, Messi has led Argentina to another Copa América title while also guiding Inter Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup. On the other hand, Ronaldo has helped Portugal win another UEFA Nations League title and also played a key role in Al Nassr reclaiming the Saudi Pro League crown. So, it’s fair to say both legends still have enough left in the tank to push their teams to glory.
Messi and Argentina have been drawn in Group J alongside Austria, Algeria, and Jordan. Barring a historic choke job, a smooth passage into the knockout stages is expected. For Portugal, Group K also looks fairly straightforward, with Colombia, DR Congo, and Uzbekistan as opponents. So the big question remains: can Messi lead Argentina to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup? Or can Ronaldo inspire Portugal to their first-ever World Cup title and cement his status as the GOAT? Pick a side but, one thing is for sure, BetKing has the best odds for these markets, giving you a chance to get up to 11x your betting stake.
Betting Tips:
Support Players of Nigerian Origin
Yes, Nigeria won’t be at the World Cup, but we’ll still have Nigerians representing. Just look around and you’ll find our players everywhere. At the risk of upsetting Mikel Obi, let me say this upfront: yes, I know some of these players may or may not have rejected us in the past (which still hurts), but it’ll still be nice seeing one of our own shine on football’s biggest stage.
Two countries have two players of Nigerian descent, so they deserve to go first. England has the recently crowned Premier League champions Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, while Austria has veteran defender David Alaba and newly naturalized Carney Chukwuemeka. These are great options to go with if this is your thinking. Austria is in the same group with Argentina, so they’ll need more than your support. Perhaps your prayers as well.
In Germany, Karim Adeyemi sadly didn’t make the squad, but Jamal Musiala did, and he’s someone we expect to see dominate. Musiala’s teammate, Michael Olise - arguably the most exciting winger this season - will start for France, who many expect to win the whole thing, making him an even more attractive option. And of course, there’s also Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji, whose team I actually expect to finish top of Group B ahead of Canada, Qatar, and Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Bet on Canada!
Obviously! Over the last 5-ish years, Canada has basically become the official Japa destination for Nigerians (and plenty of Africans too, to be fair). I’m pretty sure you can name at least three people you know who have moved there during that period. And yes, that’s me being conservative. For me, it’s 12. Four family members, seven friends, and an ex who still insists she didn’t take my favourite white polo. It’s been four years, Grace, just tell the truth already!
Anyway, with Canada slowly becoming our second country, it makes sense that we also root for them. Now, Canada is a team that will rely heavily on their defence at this tournament, and that’s something worth paying attention to. Nine clean sheets in 13 matches before the pre-tournament friendlies is even more impressive when you remember that Moïse Bombito, their star centre-back from Nice, and Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies missed all of those games through injury. An important stat that should guide your World Cup predictions for them, as I foresee lots of low-scoring games involving them. In a group containing Switzerland, Qatar, and Bosnia & Herzegovina, expectations are pretty high for the co-hosts.
Don’t Forget Our Bad Belle
In 2014, Nigerian philosopher and poet, Jude Abaga (affectionately known as Mr. Incredible) famously postulated, on the 6th track of his Chairman album, that… Bad Belle is allowed. And honestly, he wasn’t wrong. What’s football without the banter, the fun, and a little rooting for your ops to fail? I mean, we literally created a whole show on BetKing TV around this, and if you haven’t subscribed yet, you should probably fix that.
Subscribe to BetKingTV to Watch The Latest Episodes of Banter FC
While we’re all about unity and that kumbaya energy, it’s also okay to enjoy watching your ops suffer a bit at the World Cup, right? First up is obviously Ghana - the brother we love to hate. They had their turn celebrating when we failed to qualify. In fact, ahead of the 2022 World Cup, it was the Black Stars who knocked us out of the qualifiers. So yeah, it only makes sense to root against them, and I already know Twitter/X will be absolute chaos the day they crash out.
Then there’s South Africa, who we don’t exactly love for different reasons. Some are too heavy and political to dive into here, others are simpler - like them topping our group and qualifying at our expense. They’ll be playing in the opening game of the tournament, so that’s where my Bad Belle officially kicks off. Day 1 hater ni mi.
And then there’s Morocco. To be fair, Nigeria and Morocco have never really had a proper football rivalry. But after their AFCON antics - from the constant gamesmanship to using lasers to distract our keeper and even the towel theft - I’m happy to announce I’ll personally be leading the Bad Belle campaign against them. It won’t be easy, sha. They’re one of the best teams in the world, and I have to admit they made the continent proud 4 years ago when they got to the semis. But delay is not denial, and I’ll be here to celebrate their eventual exit. And I’ll make sure I’m waving a towel when that happens.
Ballon d’Or Agenda: Root For Players From Your Favourite Club
This is actually one of the more interesting ways you can approach picking a team to support. Honestly, why not just back the national team that matches your favourite club player, especially one with a chance to win the Ballon d’Or? With the great odds we offer in our World Cup outright betting, they’re worth exploring. Here’s what I mean.
If you’re an Arsenal fan, then it’s probably in your best interest to see England go all the way. Declan Rice has just helped the Gunners end a 22-year wait for the Premier League title. Now imagine if he helps the Three Lions end their 60-year wait for a World Cup… the scenes would be unbelievable! It’s also been announced that this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in London to honour Sir Stanley Matthews, the first ever winner of the award. What if Rice ends up winning it… right there in London? That would be something special. The first Arsenal player to win the Ballon d’Or… crowned in London.
Another example: if you’re a Manchester United fan, you’ve seen your club go two seasons without a trophy, but Bruno Fernandes has been racking up individual awards thanks to his exceptional performances. What if he leads Portugal to their first-ever World Cup title while also breaking the assist record (Pele’s 6 in 6 games in 1970) like he’s done in the Premier League? What if he even ends up as the Player of the Tournament? Just like Messi in Qatar, that alone makes you the Ballon d’Or frontrunner.
Lastly, Barcelona fans. As you’ll remember, the youngest Ballon d’Or winner is Ronaldo Nazário, who won it at just 21 years and 3 months for his performances in 1997 with Barça and Inter. But what if Spain winning the World Cup means that record gets broken by another Barcelona youngster who only turns 19 in July? For Spain to win it, Lamine Yamal would likely have to be the standout star, and that would instantly make him a Ballon d’Or favourite, and potentially the first teenager to ever win it. This is not even far-fetched, considering he finished runner-up to Ousmane Dembélé in the last edition, so taking that last step feels very possible.
Go For the Fairytale Endings
Having said all of this, this is where I’m directing my energy (aside from the Bad Belle towards South Africa and Morocco, of course). I’m leaning into the storyline that would almost certainly bring tears to my eyes… for a completely different reason than Nigeria did.
For me, that story is watching Neymar Jr. lift the World Cup. Arguably the best footballer of the last 15 years not named Messi or Ronaldo, Neymar was blessed with an outrageous talent his body has sadly struggled to keep up with. As decorated as he is, there’s still a feeling that he hasn’t fully lived up to that early promise, and his international setbacks play a big part in that.
His 2014 World Cup on home soil was cut short after Juan Camilo Zúñiga kneed him in the back, an incident that ruled him out for months, with doctors saying he was lucky not to suffer paralysis. He watched from his hospital bed as his teammates were famously demolished 7-1. He also missed the 2019 Copa América through injury, though this time Brazil won it. So, heading into the 2026 World Cup, this feels like one last big chance for one of Brazil’s icons to finally lift a major trophy for the Seleção.
I genuinely hope he does it. I’ll probably shed a tear when it happens - just one tear. What a story that would be. The national team’s greatest scorer riding off into the sunset with the World Cup. That’s mine. You can pick your fairytale story and root for that. The Netherlands finally winning the World Cup, or a first African winner (not Ghana, SA or Morocco o!).
BetKing offers you the chance to win big by betting on all 104 World Cup games.
Join us today to get max value for your money!
Jump on the Bandwagon: Bet on the Big Dogs
Rooting for a club is difficult, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Arsenal fans are on top of the world right now, but for 22 years they were basically football’s laughing stock. Well, technically 21. Manchester United fans have been suffering since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013. Even the spoiled Real Madrid fans who usually dominate the Champions League are having a tough season.
So why not take the simple route this World Cup? Just back the big dogs - the teams that actually have a real shot at winning it. Since the World Cup began in 1930, there have only been eight different winners: Brazil (5), Germany (4), Italy (4), Argentina (3), France (2), Uruguay (2), England and Spain.
Italy isn't in this one, so we can cross them off. Make we no lie, Uruguay no dey win this thing - take them off the board too. Who else? Yeah, Brazil and Germany haven’t exactly been ruthless in tournaments in recent years, but we’ll still leave them in the mix for respect’s sake. So, that leaves us with six serious contenders. Just pick from that group and enjoy the ride - history says the winner is almost always coming from this pool. Besides, BetKing has the best World Cup winner odds for our online betting community.
Betting Tips:
- Bet on Spain to Win the World Cup @5.50
- Bet on France to Win the World Cup @5.57
- Bet on England to Win the World Cup @6.75
- Bet on Brazil to Win the World Cup @8.75
- Bet on Argentina to Win the World Cup @8.75
- Bet on Germany to Win the World Cup @14.00
Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: The Last Chapter
I could’ve sworn the Qatar 2022 World Cup was the final chapter for these two football icons, especially given their age. Yet here we are, four years later, still watching them captain their respective countries in pursuit of glory. Similar to how Mexico ‘86 is known as Diego Maradona's finest hour, Qatar 2022 is widely regarded as the Messi World Cup as Rosario’s 5-foot giant lifted the golden trophy with Argentina while “completing football” in the process. He would go on to win a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or as well. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, was left in tears after losing his starting spot to Gonçalo Ramos before Portugal was knocked out by Morocco in the quarterfinals.
Since that tournament, Messi has led Argentina to another Copa América title while also guiding Inter Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup. On the other hand, Ronaldo has helped Portugal win another UEFA Nations League title and also played a key role in Al Nassr reclaiming the Saudi Pro League crown. So, it’s fair to say both legends still have enough left in the tank to push their teams to glory.
Messi and Argentina have been drawn in Group J alongside Austria, Algeria, and Jordan. Barring a historic choke job, a smooth passage into the knockout stages is expected. For Portugal, Group K also looks fairly straightforward, with Colombia, DR Congo, and Uzbekistan as opponents. So the big question remains: can Messi lead Argentina to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup? Or can Ronaldo inspire Portugal to their first-ever World Cup title and cement his status as the GOAT? Pick a side but, one thing is for sure, BetKing has the best odds for these markets, giving you a chance to get up to 11x your betting stake.
Betting Tips:
Support Players of Nigerian Origin
Yes, Nigeria won’t be at the World Cup, but we’ll still have Nigerians representing. Just look around and you’ll find our players everywhere. At the risk of upsetting Mikel Obi, let me say this upfront: yes, I know some of these players may or may not have rejected us in the past (which still hurts), but it’ll still be nice seeing one of our own shine on football’s biggest stage.
Two countries have two players of Nigerian descent, so they deserve to go first. England has the recently crowned Premier League champions Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, while Austria has veteran defender David Alaba and newly naturalized Carney Chukwuemeka. These are great options to go with if this is your thinking. Austria is in the same group with Argentina, so they’ll need more than your support. Perhaps your prayers as well.
In Germany, Karim Adeyemi sadly didn’t make the squad, but Jamal Musiala did, and he’s someone we expect to see dominate. Musiala’s teammate, Michael Olise - arguably the most exciting winger this season - will start for France, who many expect to win the whole thing, making him an even more attractive option. And of course, there’s also Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji, whose team I actually expect to finish top of Group B ahead of Canada, Qatar, and Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Bet on Canada!
Obviously! Over the last 5-ish years, Canada has basically become the official Japa destination for Nigerians (and plenty of Africans too, to be fair). I’m pretty sure you can name at least three people you know who have moved there during that period. And yes, that’s me being conservative. For me, it’s 12. Four family members, seven friends, and an ex who still insists she didn’t take my favourite white polo. It’s been four years, Grace, just tell the truth already!
Anyway, with Canada slowly becoming our second country, it makes sense that we also root for them. Now, Canada is a team that will rely heavily on their defence at this tournament, and that’s something worth paying attention to. Nine clean sheets in 13 matches before the pre-tournament friendlies is even more impressive when you remember that Moïse Bombito, their star centre-back from Nice, and Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies missed all of those games through injury. An important stat that should guide your World Cup predictions for them, as I foresee lots of low-scoring games involving them. In a group containing Switzerland, Qatar, and Bosnia & Herzegovina, expectations are pretty high for the co-hosts.
Don’t Forget Our Bad Belle
In 2014, Nigerian philosopher and poet, Jude Abaga (affectionately known as Mr. Incredible) famously postulated, on the 6th track of his Chairman album, that… Bad Belle is allowed. And honestly, he wasn’t wrong. What’s football without the banter, the fun, and a little rooting for your ops to fail? I mean, we literally created a whole show on BetKing TV around this, and if you haven’t subscribed yet, you should probably fix that.
Subscribe to BetKingTV to Watch The Latest Episodes of Banter FC
While we’re all about unity and that kumbaya energy, it’s also okay to enjoy watching your ops suffer a bit at the World Cup, right? First up is obviously Ghana - the brother we love to hate. They had their turn celebrating when we failed to qualify. In fact, ahead of the 2022 World Cup, it was the Black Stars who knocked us out of the qualifiers. So yeah, it only makes sense to root against them, and I already know Twitter/X will be absolute chaos the day they crash out.
Then there’s South Africa, who we don’t exactly love for different reasons. Some are too heavy and political to dive into here, others are simpler - like them topping our group and qualifying at our expense. They’ll be playing in the opening game of the tournament, so that’s where my Bad Belle officially kicks off. Day 1 hater ni mi.
And then there’s Morocco. To be fair, Nigeria and Morocco have never really had a proper football rivalry. But after their AFCON antics - from the constant gamesmanship to using lasers to distract our keeper and even the towel theft - I’m happy to announce I’ll personally be leading the Bad Belle campaign against them. It won’t be easy, sha. They’re one of the best teams in the world, and I have to admit they made the continent proud 4 years ago when they got to the semis. But delay is not denial, and I’ll be here to celebrate their eventual exit. And I’ll make sure I’m waving a towel when that happens.
Ballon d’Or Agenda: Root For Players From Your Favourite Club
This is actually one of the more interesting ways you can approach picking a team to support. Honestly, why not just back the national team that matches your favourite club player, especially one with a chance to win the Ballon d’Or? With the great odds we offer in our World Cup outright betting, they’re worth exploring. Here’s what I mean.
If you’re an Arsenal fan, then it’s probably in your best interest to see England go all the way. Declan Rice has just helped the Gunners end a 22-year wait for the Premier League title. Now imagine if he helps the Three Lions end their 60-year wait for a World Cup… the scenes would be unbelievable! It’s also been announced that this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in London to honour Sir Stanley Matthews, the first ever winner of the award. What if Rice ends up winning it… right there in London? That would be something special. The first Arsenal player to win the Ballon d’Or… crowned in London.
Another example: if you’re a Manchester United fan, you’ve seen your club go two seasons without a trophy, but Bruno Fernandes has been racking up individual awards thanks to his exceptional performances. What if he leads Portugal to their first-ever World Cup title while also breaking the assist record (Pele’s 6 in 6 games in 1970) like he’s done in the Premier League? What if he even ends up as the Player of the Tournament? Just like Messi in Qatar, that alone makes you the Ballon d’Or frontrunner.
Lastly, Barcelona fans. As you’ll remember, the youngest Ballon d’Or winner is Ronaldo Nazário, who won it at just 21 years and 3 months for his performances in 1997 with Barça and Inter. But what if Spain winning the World Cup means that record gets broken by another Barcelona youngster who only turns 19 in July? For Spain to win it, Lamine Yamal would likely have to be the standout star, and that would instantly make him a Ballon d’Or favourite, and potentially the first teenager to ever win it. This is not even far-fetched, considering he finished runner-up to Ousmane Dembélé in the last edition, so taking that last step feels very possible.
Go For the Fairytale Endings
Having said all of this, this is where I’m directing my energy (aside from the Bad Belle towards South Africa and Morocco, of course). I’m leaning into the storyline that would almost certainly bring tears to my eyes… for a completely different reason than Nigeria did.
For me, that story is watching Neymar Jr. lift the World Cup. Arguably the best footballer of the last 15 years not named Messi or Ronaldo, Neymar was blessed with an outrageous talent his body has sadly struggled to keep up with. As decorated as he is, there’s still a feeling that he hasn’t fully lived up to that early promise, and his international setbacks play a big part in that.
His 2014 World Cup on home soil was cut short after Juan Camilo Zúñiga kneed him in the back, an incident that ruled him out for months, with doctors saying he was lucky not to suffer paralysis. He watched from his hospital bed as his teammates were famously demolished 7-1. He also missed the 2019 Copa América through injury, though this time Brazil won it. So, heading into the 2026 World Cup, this feels like one last big chance for one of Brazil’s icons to finally lift a major trophy for the Seleção.
I genuinely hope he does it. I’ll probably shed a tear when it happens - just one tear. What a story that would be. The national team’s greatest scorer riding off into the sunset with the World Cup. That’s mine. You can pick your fairytale story and root for that. The Netherlands finally winning the World Cup, or a first African winner (not Ghana, SA or Morocco o!).
BetKing offers you the chance to win big by betting on all 104 World Cup games.
Join us today to get max value for your money!