On June 15, when the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across stadiums in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the Super Eagles will not be there. For the second consecutive tournament, Nigeria failed to qualify, losing out to DR Congo in a play-off final that still stings.
And yet, turn on the radio anywhere in the world right now and Nigeria is impossible to avoid.
Burna Boy’s voice is on “Dai Dai,” the song Shakira chose as her World Cup collaboration, a track now attached to one of the biggest sporting events on the planet. Tems, Wizkid, Burna Boy and Asake are all nominated at the 2026 BET Awards.
The fact that Nigeria’s footballers could not earn a seat at the table does not discredit the nation’s global impact.
There is something bittersweet about this reality. Football has always been stage where Nigeria has historically announced itself to the world. A Memorable Squad in most Nigerians reminisce about were the 1994 Super Eagles. Stories about their performance still echoes through the years.
Back to Back absences in two world cups now have eroded the statement that those legends made on the pitch. A generation of young Nigerians will watch this tournament without the particular pride of cheering their own flag on the pitch.
However, our cultural significance do not follow the same qualification rounds. You can’t relegate afrobeats. There is no play-off that removes Nigerian music out of the global moment.
While the Super Eagles were playing friendlies in Turkey, Burna Boy was in a studio with Global sensation, Shakira, somewhere building a song that will soundtrack the opening ceremonies. The geography of Nigeria’s influence has simply moved.
Nigeria will be watching the 2026 World Cup from the outside. But every time “Dai Dai” plays over a stadium speaker, Nigeria will be present in a way no qualifying campaign could manufacture.
