The expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup has so far lived up to the billing – goals, upsets, sold-out stadiums, controveersies and more controversies.
For Nigerians, we have had to follow the biggest-ever World Cup from afar, while many of us have indulged in “hate watching” teams like South Africa and DR Congo, who dumped us out in the qualifiers.
The talk that the World Cup will not be the same without the Super Eagles of Nigeria is just that – talk.
In the absence of the Super Eagles, Morocco have toppled Nigeria as the African team with the most wins – seven – and most goals – 26 – at the World Cup.
Promoters of African football must be fulfilled that the continent has been represented at this tournament with all but Tunisia through to the knockout rounds.
Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet, who has worked in Africa from Zimbabwe to Mali since 2008, has maintained that Europe in particular ought to now show more respect to African football on the back of this accomplishment.
“Since 2008 I work for most of the time in Africa, all these years I felt in Europe a kind of disrespect for African football in general, an idea that Africa isn’t that strong as football continent,” he said.
“And just like the 17 years before, I defended Africa with my heart and with facts! And now after the first round, the whole world get the proof that Africa is the strongest football continent of all!
“Nine out of 10 African nations qualified for the second round (only Tunisia went home) that’s 90%!”
Cape Verde will be one of the most romantic stories of this World Cup.
With a population of just over 500,000, they became the smallest country to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup.
The fairytale of the unbeaten debutants may well end when they come face-to-face with reigning champions Argentina and their talisman Lionel Messi, but they have everything to be proud of what they have achieved.
The Teranga Lions of Senegal may have endured a slow start in the first round before they got going with a 5-0 thumping of Iraq to march on.
They carry Africa’s biggest hope of progressing deeper at this World Cup ahead of Morocco, who may well fall short in the Round of 32 against the rampant Dutch.
Senegal have everything to brush past an ageing Belgium, who also had to get their campaign back on track after a big win versus New Zealand in their final group game.
In the Round of 16, Senegal, who are now driven by their younger guns, will face either co-hosts USA or Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In the quarterfinal, Portugal or Spain would be possible opponents for the Teranga Lions.
How would the Super Eagles have fared at the 2026 World Cup?
On the back of what they showed at the 2025 AFCON and recent friendlies, they ought to also have gone past the group stage and with the luck of the draw, advanced farther in the competition.
Outspoken FCT minister Nyesom Wike, for one, has clearly spoken the minds of millions of Nigerians when he warned that never again should the Super Eagles be missing in action at the biggest football feast in the world.
Let’s continue to enjoy the World Cup even without the Super Eagles, while hoping that Nigeria will be flying high by the next edition.
Good enough the future of Eric Chelle as Super Eagles coach has been sorted and now it is to ensure that only those with the capacity and the country’s best interest take charge of the NFF.
