Former England captain and Chelsea legend John Terry has described Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a major loss for the tournament.
Speaking during a virtual roundtable hosted by SuperSport ahead of the competition, Terry expressed disappointment that the Nigeria national football team failed to secure qualification for the tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Super Eagles missed out on a place at the World Cup following a disappointing qualifying campaign.
Coached by Eric Chelle, Nigeria finished second in Group C behind South Africa national football team, who claimed the group’s automatic qualification spot.
Nigeria remained in contention after defeating Gabon national football team in the playoff semi-final. However, their hopes of reaching the World Cup were ended after a penalty shootout defeat to the DR Congo national football team in the playoff final.
According to Terry, the presence of the three-time African champions would have added quality and excitement to the tournament, making their absence a significant disappointment.
“I have to say quietly because I am currently in South Africa, that Nigeria is going to be a big miss,” Terry said. “This is a World Cup for participants who haven’t had time to play in the competition.
I would have loved to have a top side like Nigeria to be there because they have got some great individuals. They are a great nation.”