Nigeria and 4 Other Highly Populous Countries That Failed to Qualify for the 2026 World Cup
- Nigeria has joined India, China, Indonesia, and Pakistan among the world’s most populous nations, missing the 2026 World Cup
- The Super Eagles lost on penalties to DR Congo after a dramatic 1-1 draw in the World Cup playoff final in Rabat, Morocco
- Over 3.6 billion people will not be represented by these five nations at the expanded 48-team World Cup
Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a heartbreaking end on Sunday night as the Super Eagles fell 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in Rabat.
After a gruelling 120 minutes that ended 1-1, the Leopards held their nerve from the spot, pushing Nigeria out of the running and into an unexpected category, one of the world’s most populated countries that will not be part of the 2026 tournament.
Source: Getty Images
Nigeria’s World Cup journey ends
The night began with promise when Frank Onyeka fired Nigeria ahead just three minutes into the clash, his strike beating Lionel Mpasi-Nzau after a deflection, Aljazeera reports
But DR Congo equalised through Meschack Elia in the 32nd minute, capping off a well-constructed move from Cedric Bakambu’s clever pass.
The second half turned cagey as the Super Eagles struggled after Victor Osimhen limped off early.
Chidera Ejuke, Tolu Arokodare, and Ademola Lookman all had half-chances, while Stanley Nwabali produced vital saves to keep Nigeria alive as DR Congo dictated long spells of play.
With neither side finding a winner after extra time, the match went to penalties.
Nigeria’s fortunes unraveled quickly as Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon missed early kicks, and although Nwabali saved two to keep hopes alive, Semi Ajayi’s miss in sudden death proved decisive.
DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba buried the final kick, sparking celebrations from the Leopards and heartbreak for the Super Eagles.
Back-to-back heartbreak for Nigeria
The defeat means Nigeria has missed back-to-back World Cups, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Source: Getty Images
DR Congo, meanwhile, move on to the six-team Inter-confederation Playoff, joining Bolivia and New Caledonia as they battle for one of the final two tickets to the global showpiece, CAF Online reports.
For Nigeria, the result ends a long, emotional qualifying campaign filled with little highs and many lows.
For DR Congo, it marks a historic step as they attempt to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when the nation competed as Zaire.
5 most populous nations fail to qualify
Nigeria’s failure places the three-time African champions among four other highly populated countries that will also miss the 2026 World Cup despite the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams.
The five nations, which include India, China, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan, have a combined population exceeding 3.645 billion people. Yet none will be represented on football’s biggest stage:
India: Never qualified
China: Only appeared once (2002)
Indonesia: Never qualified
Nigeria: Misses consecutive World Cups
Pakistan: Never qualified
For all their population and football followership, these nations will watch from afar as the world gathers in Canada, Mexico, and the United States next summer for the World Cup.
NFF apologises to Nigerians
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the leadership of the NFF has sent a personal apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following Nigeria's inability to qualify for the World Cup.
In a statement on X, the football body also extended their apologies to passionate fans who took their time to watch the encounter between Nigeria and DR Congo.
Source: Legit.ng
