The Super Eagles will not be at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After a disappointing qualifying campaign and a playoff defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria will miss back-to-back World Cup tournaments for the first time in its history.
Yet when the tournament begins across North America, the Nigerian flag will still be represented in a different way.
Not on the pitch, but through music.
FIFA has unveiled the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album, a global music project designed to celebrate the tournament under the theme "Football Unites the World." The album brings together artists from different continents, languages, and genres in what FIFA President Gianni Infantino described as an "extraordinarily strong music squad."
Among the names featured on the project are four Nigerian stars: Burna Boy, Davido, Rema, and Ayra Starr.
For a country absent from football's biggest stage, it is a reminder of just how far Nigerian music has travelled.
Nigerian Music's Strong Presence
The Nigerian contingent occupies some of the album's most high-profile collaborations.
Rema joins global stars LISA and Anitta on "Goals," a track whose title alone feels perfectly suited to football's biggest competition. Ayra Starr teams up with American rapper Latto on "Show Me," while Davido appears alongside Major Lazer and Nelly Furtado on "No Place Like Home."
Burna Boy, meanwhile, partners with Shakira on "Dai Dai," bringing together two artists who have both played major roles in shaping global music conversations over the last decade.
South Africa is also represented through Tyla, who joins Future on "Game Time," making African artists a significant part of the tournament's musical identity.
More Than Just a Soundtrack
This is not the first time Nigerian artists have been involved in FIFA-linked projects. Over the years, the country's growing influence through Afrobeats has made Nigerian musicians regular participants in global sporting and cultural events.
What stands out about this year's album, however, is the scale of representation.
Four Nigerian artists on a single World Cup project speaks not only to individual success but also to the continued global rise of Nigerian music. A genre that was once viewed as a regional sound now occupies some of the world's biggest stages, from international festivals and award shows to the soundtrack of the world's most-watched sporting event.
The inclusion of Rema and Ayra Starr is particularly notable. Both artists represent a younger generation of Afrobeats stars who are helping expand the genre's reach beyond traditional markets, proving that Nigerian music's global appeal is no longer tied to a single artist or era.
The Flag Still Flies
Football and music have always shared a unique relationship. World Cups are remembered not only for goals and trophies but also for the songs that soundtrack them.
Nigeria may not be chasing glory on the field in 2026, but its artists will still be part of the tournament's story.
As millions of fans tune in from around the world, voices from Lagos will be heard alongside some of the biggest names in global music.
The Super Eagles may be absent from the World Cup, but Nigerian music has ensured the country will still have a place on football's grandest stage.
