John Terry: Nigeria's Absence at 2026 World Cup Notable

John Terry, the former Chelsea and England captain, stated that Nigeria's Super Eagles will be a major miss at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He made these comments during a virtual media roundtable, emphasizing the importance of Nigeria and Cameroon as football powerhouses in Africa.

Terry reflected on his time playing alongside Nigeria's John Mikel Obi at Chelsea and acknowledged Mikel's disappointment over the Super Eagles' failure to qualify for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada. This World Cup marks the first time 48 teams will participate, increasing representation from Africa to ten teams.

Terry also criticized England manager Thomas Tuchel's squad selections, claiming that 11 players in the World Cup squad are not good enough. He plans to join SuperSport as a pundit for the World Cup alongside other former players, including Roberto Di Matteo and Asamoah Gyan.