The Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, are absent from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after failing to qualify. However, the West African nation is still represented at the tournament through players of Nigerian descent who are featuring for other countries.
Peoples Gazette profiled 15 players of Nigerian heritage (either through Nigerian parentage or birth in the West African country) who are representing other nations at the tournament in North America.
Noni Madueke
The Arsenal winger is part of the team that led Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years and the final of the UEFA Champions League in the 2025/26 club football season.
Madueke was born in London, England, in 2002 to Nigerian parents. He was part of the England youth set from under-16 to 21.
The 24-year-old made his senior England debut in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League match against Finland, making him ineligible to compete for Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Bukayo Saka
Like Madueke, Saka was also born in London to parents from Nigeria, who reportedly moved to the United Kingdom as economic migrants. He also played across various levels of the England youth international setup.
The Arsenal winger made his first senior appearance for England in 2020 and has since secured his spot as a crucial player for the Three Lions.
Eberechi Eze
Despite playing for England U-20 and U-21, Eze was close to representing Nigeria at the international level, training with the Super Eagles in 2017 ahead of a friendly match against Burkina Faso.
However, the match was cancelled, which prevented him from being officially named in the Eagles’ squad, ending his chance of wearing Nigeria’s colours. He made his senior debut for England in June 2023.
The Arsenal man was born in London to Nigerian parents.
Antonio Nusa
The 21-year-old was born in Oslo, Norway, to a Norwegian mother and a Nigerian father. He represents the European country at the international level, having made his maiden senior appearance in 2023.
Folarin Balogun
Balogun was eligible to play for Nigeria, the United States and England before eventually committing to the U.S. in 2023.
He was born in the United States to Nigerian parents and grew up in the United Kingdom. He played for both the United States and England at the youth level.
The Monaco forward was the star of the United States’ opening 2026 FIFA World Cup 4-1 win over Paraguay, becoming the first American to score more than one goal in a match at the tournament since 1930.
Manuel Akanji
Representing Switzerland on the international stage, the Manchester City defender was born in Switzerland to a Swiss mother and a Nigerian father.
The 30-year-old has always acknowledged his Nigerian roots and even has a tattoo of the Super Eagles, which he said was “something” that he carries with him.
Noah Okafor
Okafor is another Swiss-Nigerian playing in the World Cup. The 26-year-old has a Nigerian father and a Swiss mother. He debuted for Switzerland at the senior level in 2019.
Before then, he represented the country at the U-15 to U-19 levels.
Michael Olise
Olise was eligible to play internationally for Nigeria, Algeria, France and England at the senior level. He, however, pitched his tent with France in 2024.
The Bayern Munich forward was born in London to a Nigerian father and a Franco-Algerian mother. He is a crucial member of the Les Bleus squad in France’s World Cup title charge in North America.
Carney Chukwuemeka
Born to Nigerian parents in Austria, Chukwuemeka eventually grew up in the UK. He was with England from U-17 all through to U-20 before switching his international allegiance to Austria earlier this year, ahead of the World Cup.
He currently plays for Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.
David Alaba
The Bayern Munich legend is the captain of the Austria national team. He has featured 113 times for the national team since making his debut in 2009.
Alaba was born in a European country to a mother who emigrated from the Philippines and a father from Nigeria. His sister, Rose May Alaba, is a singer and often spends time in Nigeria.
Felix Nmecha
Nmecha is the son of a German mother and a Nigerian mother. He was born in Germany but moved to England at a very young age, making him eligible to play for Nigeria, England and Germany.
He featured for both England and Germany at the youth level before settling for the latter after making his senior league international debut in 2023.
Jamal Musiala
The Bayern Munich midfielder represents Germany internationally, rather than either Nigeria or England, where he also played at the youth level.
He was born in Germany to a Nigerian-British father and a German mother with Polish roots. His senior appearance came in 2021.
Ime Okon
The 22-year-old is part of the Bafana Bafana team representing South Africa in North America. He was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a South African mother.
His brother Udeme also competes for South Africa in athletics.
Tani Oluwaseyi
The Villarreal player was born in Abuja in 2000 but moved to Canada when he was just 10. He has played 25 times for the Canada national team.
Promise David
David was born in Canada to Nigerian parents. He appeared twice for Nigeria at the U-23 level before settling for Canada in 2025.
