Terem Moffi has expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s absence from the upcoming 2026 World Cup tournament.
The Super Eagles missed out on the World Cup tournament after suffering a penalty shootout defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the CAF playoff round.
They finished second during the group stage campaign behind South Africa, who clinched the automatic ticket and had to pass through the playoff routes to qualify, although they ultimately fell short.
Nigeria now face Portugal in a friendly match on Wednesday and speaking ahead of that tournament, Moffi was disappointed over their failure to qualify.
“That’s what the fans don’t understand. The World Cup is every four years, and not everyone gets to be a part of that”, Moffi revealed.
“We’ve missed two World Cups now. It’s devastating for the fans, but even more so for us.”
The Nice attacker also revealed that most of the current crop of players will be unavailable by the time the next tournament comes by, which is another disappointment as they may never get the chance to play in the biggest football competition in the world.
“I’m 27 now, in the next World Cup I’ll be 31, and most of the squad will be in their 30’s as well. It’s almost impossible for us to be there if we’re being totally honest”, Moffi added.
“Young players will come in. The oldest in the squad right now is Semi [32], so, going by that, it’ll be quite difficult.
“For some of us, we might have to watch from home. How do we tell our children that we had two chances to be at the World Cup and we didn’t take it?
“It’s horrible to think about,” Terem Moffi concluded.
Nigeria will turn their attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after their game against Portugal, with the qualifying campaign set to begin in September.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
