Nigeria’s World Cup Qualifications Over The Years (Full List)

The Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup qualifying match against The Cheetahs of Benin is scheduled for 5 pm today.

Having drawn their previous three games against South Africa, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe, the Eagles are now focused on defeating Benin Republic to move forward in their qualification quest.

The Nigeria national football team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times, beginning with their debut in 1994 when they advanced to the second round.

Here’s a list of times the Eagles have qualified for the World Cup:

1. 1994 World Cup – USA
– This was Nigeria’s debut in the FIFA World Cup. The Super Eagles advanced to the Round of 16, where they were narrowly defeated by Italy after extra time.

2. 1998 World Cup – France
– Nigeria made it to the Round of 16 again but were defeated by Denmark in a surprising 4-1 loss.

3. 2002 World Cup – South Korea/Japan
– The Super Eagles were eliminated in the group stage, finishing third in their group.

4. 2010 World Cup – South Africa
– Nigeria failed to progress beyond the group stage, finishing bottom of their group.

5. 2014 World Cup – Brazil
– The Super Eagles advanced to the Round of 16, where they were beaten by France.

6. 2018 World Cup – Russia
– Nigeria did not make it past the group stage, finishing third in their group.

These qualifications demonstrate Nigeria’s strong presence in international football, making the World Cup six times in total since their first appearance in 1994.