Following the failure of the Super Eagles to secure the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the football team will suffer a major financial setback.

FIFA has announced a record-breaking prize pool for the World Cup, raising the financial stakes of the tournament to unprecedented levels.

Nigeria, long regarded as a strong contender for the expanded 48-team competition, stumbled during the qualification campaign.

After finishing second in their group behind South Africa, the Super Eagles were granted a second chance through the continental playoffs.

That lifeline, however, proved short-lived as Nigeria’s World Cup hopes ended in the final playoff clash, where they were edged out by the Democratic Republic of Congo in a tense penalty shootout, despite earlier overcoming Gabon in the previous round.

FIFA Prize Money

At a FIFA Council meeting in Doha, Qatar, officials confirmed that the total prize money for the 2026 World Cup will rise to a record $655 million (about ₦990 billion), representing a 50 per cent increase from the amount shared at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

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Under the new structure, each of the 48 participating teams will receive $1.5 million in preparation funds, plus $9 million for appearing in the group stage.

Had the Super Eagles qualified, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) would have been guaranteed at least $10.5 million (approximately ₦15.7 billion).

A portion of this sum is usually distributed to players based on an agreed formula, meaning the Super Eagles squad has also missed out on a substantial financial reward.

Despite the disappointment on the pitch, the NFF is not backing down. The federation’s General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, revealed that a formal petition has been submitted to FIFA over the alleged fielding of ineligible players by the Democratic Republic of Congo in the decisive playoff match.

For now, the NFF and millions of Nigerian football fans can only wait, hopeful that a ruling could yet alter the outcome of Nigeria’s World Cup campaign.