Despite failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Nigeria’s footballing influence will still be highly visible at the tournament kicking off on June 11 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The Super Eagles missed out after a painful playoff defeat to DR Congo on penalties, marking back-to-back absences from football’s biggest stage following their failure to qualify for Qatar 2022.
Yet, as the expanded 48-team tournament gets underway, approximately 15 to 16 players with Nigerian roots, by birth, parentage, or ancestry, are expected to feature across multiple national teams.
This diaspora presence highlights the depth of Nigerian football talent that continues to thrive across the global game.
A widely circulated post attributed to ESPN Africa on X listed several prominent players of Nigerian heritage expected at the tournament:
England
Bukayo Saka
Eberechi Eze
Noni Madueke
All were born in England to Nigerian parents.
Germany
Jamal Musiala
Felix Nmecha
Both have Nigerian heritage
This post was originally published on this site.
