Nigeria’s World Cup absence a big miss – John Terry

England and Chelsea star John Terry has voiced disappointment over Nigeria’s exclusion from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, conceding that the Super Eagles will be¯ sadly missed as the tournament kicks off today.

Eric Chelle’s squad finished second in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers, trailing only South Africa, which clinched one of the tournament’s automatic qualification slots.

The Super Eagles kept their hopes alive by overcoming Gabon in the playoff semi-finals. Still, their aspirations were dashed when they lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the final playoff match.

Nigeria was eliminated from the World Cup for the second time in a row, having previously failed to qualify for the 2022 event in Qatar.

The Nigeria Football Federation later disputed DR Congo’s qualifying, claiming that the team used ineligible players during the campaign. However, the appeal was denied, dashing any hopes for a late respite.

Speaking at a virtual roundtable discussion organized by SuperSport, the former England captain said that a country with Nigeria’s football legacy and potential deserved to be in the World Cup and would be sorely missed.

“Nigeria will be greatly missed. This is a World Cup for participants who have not had the opportunity to compete in the competition. I would have liked to see a top team like Nigeria there because they have some excellent players. They are an excellent nation. So, absolutely, they fit into that category for me.

“I believe they are a major miss since Nigeria would have advanced higher in the competition, but sadly, one team’s loss is another’s gain.

“I know Mikel Obi is quite disappointed because they are not present. This means he won’t be able to continue commenting on the World Cup. That is why he was unhappy.

The 2026 World Cup officially begins on Thursday (today), with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa in Group A.

The historic game, which will take place at the famous Estadio Azteca, brings back memories of the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening match, which ended 1-1.

Siphiwe Tshabalala’s magnificent strike put South Africa ahead, but Rafael Márquez’s 79th-minute equaliser earned Mexico a draw.