Nigeria may still get a taste of international football in 2026 despite missing out on the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup. Reports suggest that Russia is proposing a rival competition exclusively for countries that failed to qualify for the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. 
The initiative, still unofficial but gaining attention, is designed to provide exposure and competitive opportunities for teams sidelined by the main tournament.
Other potential participants include Russia, Serbia, Greece, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Cameroon, China, and Armenia.
Using stadiums from the 2018 World Cup, the tournament would mirror an international championship format, compressed into a short but intensive schedule
Russia’s alternative tournament now represents a potential lifeline to the three-time African champions. Though unofficial, it offers Nigeria a chance to regroup and test upcoming players in a year that was expected to feature the world’s biggest football event.
