Nigeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Super Eagles compete in Group J at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Manager Eric Chelle, captain William Troost-Ekong. CAF qualifier.
Nigeria's outlook at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
At #34 in the FIFA Ranking, Nigeria will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.
Group J is competitively balanced (avg. opponent rank #37). Nigeria can realistically finish anywhere between first and third.
The 2026 tournament uses an expanded 48-team, 12-group format with a new Round of 32. That changes the maths for Nigeria: the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance, so even a third-place finish in Group J is often enough to reach the knockouts. The first Nigeria match of the World Cup is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16 against Netherlands at Lumen Field.
Group J draw analysis
FIFA Ranking, confederation, and last-appearance finish for every team Nigeria face in Group J.
| Team | FIFA Rank | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria (this page) | #34 | CAF |
| Netherlands | #7 | UEFA |
| Paraguay | #47 | CONMEBOL |
| Uzbekistan | #57 | AFC |
Nigeria 2026 World Cup fixtures
Players to watch
Get every player's stats - goals, assists, cards, minutes, xG - via the player stats endpoint for competition_id={COMPETITION_ID}.
Nigeria World Cup history
Nigeria have appeared at 7 previous FIFA World Cups. Their best finish remains Round of 16 (1994, 1998, 2014). Across the last five tournaments they recorded: DNQ, Group, R16, R16, Group, including 1 occasion when they failed to qualify.
Get Nigeria data via API
// Fetch Nigeria World Cup 2026 matches
const response = await fetch(
'https://api.thestatsapi.com/api/football/matches?competition_id={COMPETITION_ID}&team=nigeria',
{ headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' } }
);
const { data } = await response.json();Frequently Asked Questions
What group is Nigeria in at the 2026 World Cup?
Nigeria is in Group J alongside Netherlands, Paraguay, Uzbekistan. The average opponent FIFA ranking in Group J is #37.
Who is Nigeria's manager at the 2026 World Cup?
Eric Chelle manages Nigeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with William Troost-Ekong as captain.
What is Nigeria's best World Cup finish?
Nigeria's best FIFA World Cup finish is Round of 16 (1994, 1998, 2014). They have appeared in 7 previous World Cup tournaments. Recent form: DNQ, Group, R16, R16, Group.
Who are Nigeria's key players at the 2026 World Cup?
Captain William Troost-Ekong leads a squad whose standout names include Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Wilfred Ndidi. The full 26-player squad is named approximately one week before the opening match.
How did Nigeria qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
CAF qualifier. They came through the CAF qualifying pathway.
What is Nigeria's current FIFA Ranking?
Nigeria are ranked #34 in the world by FIFA at the time of the 2026 World Cup draw. At #34 in the FIFA Ranking, Nigeria will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.
What are Nigeria's chances of winning the 2026 World Cup?
Group J is competitively balanced (avg. opponent rank #37). Nigeria can realistically finish anywhere between first and third. At #34 in the FIFA Ranking, Nigeria will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.
How can I get Nigeria fixtures and stats via API?
Use TheStatsAPI matches endpoint with competition_id={COMPETITION_ID} and filter by team_id to get all Nigeria World Cup 2026 fixtures, lineups, live scores, in-play events, xG, and player-level stats. The same endpoint also returns historical World Cup data for Nigeria going back to their first tournament.
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