The Nigerian men’s football team recently reached the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final after an important 1 nil victory against Angola in the quarter-final on February 2, 2024.
Here is a closer look at how many players from the current Nigerian team will most likely end up being in the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where 104 games are expected to be hosted across venues in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Which Nigerian players will most likely play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup if ‘The Eagles’ qualify?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup may still be two years away, but that hasn’t stopped people from wondering which current stars in the Nigerian squad will most likely be in the World Cup squad.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the most likely players Nigeria will take with them to the 2026 FIFA World Cup should they qualify for the tournament. Most qualifying matches will take place between Monday, March 18, 2024, and Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
A total of nine African nations are guaranteed a spot via qualification, and there could even be a chance for a tenthAfrican nation to secure qualification via an intercontinental play-off.
The current Nigerian players who will most likely be picked to represent their country at football’s biggest tournament are the following:
● Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Maduka Okoye and Adebayo Adeleye
● Defenders: Kevin Akpoguma, William Troost-Ekong, Tyronne Ebuehi, Chidozie Awaziem, Calvin Bassey, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Zaidu Sanusi, and Ola Aina
● Midfielders/wingers: Alex Iwobi, Alhassan Yusuf, Raphael Onyedika, Alex Iwobi, and Wilfred Ndidi,
● Forwards/strikers: Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Umar Sadiq, Terem Moffi, and Samuel Chukwueze
Can Nigeria win the AFCON?
To better understand whether Nigeria can win AFCON outright, the quickest, easiest, and most reliable way to find out would be to turn to today’s most trusted online bookmakers, such as Unibet, for the latest odds.
The odds also tell us the implied probability rate of them winning. Let’s take a quick look at the latest odds, which are subject to change at any time, and compare them with some of the other AFCON favourites:
● Team: Nigeria (the odds-on favourites to win AFCON outright). Decimal odds: 2.10 (which is 11/10 in fractional odds and +110- in American/moneylineodds). Their IPR (implied probability rate) of winning is 47.6%
● Team: Ivory Coast (second odds-on favourites). Decimal odds: 3.00 (2/1 in fractional odds and +200 in American/moneyline odds). Their IPR of winning is 33.30%
● Team: DR Congo (third odds-on favourites). Decimal odds: 6.00 (5/1 in fractional odds and +500 in American/moneyline odds). Their IPR of winning is 16.70%
● Team: South Africa. Decimal odds: 9.00 (8/1 in fractional odds and +800 in American/moneyline odds). Their IPR of winning is just 11.10%
As you can see from these latest odds, Nigeria would be a relatively safe bet to win the AFCON outright. However, you must never forget that when betting on football betting (or any other sporting event), despite the favourable odds, no bets are ever guaranteed to return a profit.
Victor Osimhen, their star striker, is currently injured. However, they seem to be doing just fine without him, although they would perform much better with the prolific Napoli striker scoring goals up front.
When will we know if Nigeria has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The first two matches in each 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier group were played between 15 and 21 November 2023. Rounds three and four are scheduled to take place in June 2024.
Two teams from each group will qualify, and Nigeria have been placed in Group C. They will have to top the group and beat Lesotho, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Benin, who are also in the same group as them.
With 9 (possibly 10) African nations in the World Cup, it will set a new record for the most African nations to ever play in the World Cup finals.
Add a comment
