Nigeria among World Cup's most populous absentees

Nigeria finds itself among eight of the world's 10 most populous countries that will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This absence has led fans in these nations to support other teams during the ongoing tournament.

Out of the ten most populous countries globally, only the United States and Brazil have qualified for the current World Cup. Russia and Nigeria, despite past appearances, are absent this time. China and Indonesia have limited World Cup history, while India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Pakistan have never qualified.

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it was difficult to accept that countries with such large fan bases continue to lag behind in the sport.

Supporters in countries like Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia have adopted nations such as Argentina as their own during the competition. Football enthusiasts find it difficult to accept that countries with vast fan bases lag behind in the sport.

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population size alone does not guarantee footballing success, as wealth, infrastructure and historical know-how also play significant roles.

According to economist Stefan Szymanski, population size alone does not guarantee football success. Wealth, infrastructure, and historical knowledge are also crucial. He notes that most nations need a high per capita income to compete, though Brazil and Argentina, with lower incomes, have won multiple World Cups due to their extensive footballing history and experience.

African and South Asian countries often started playing the sport later or spent longer periods under colonial rule, hindering their development. While Morocco and South Korea have achieved significant success for their continents, nations like Ethiopia, India, and Bangladesh continue to struggle to close the gap despite growing interest.

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most nations require a minimum annual average income per capita of about $15,000 (N22.9m) to compete for major honours, though he acknowledged that Brazil and Argentina, whose average incomes fall below that threshold, have combined to win the World Cup eight times, a fact he attributed to their long footballing history and accumulated experience.