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Nigerian Football [1]emerged in the early 20th century when British settlers began to locate colonies in Nigeria. The first football matches were organised in late 1904. The first official match was played in 1933 between two football clubs in Lagos.
The First official Nigerian football clubs were:
Lagos Marine - founded in 1894
Ibadan Lions - founded in 1913
From these two football teams, players were selected to represent Nigeria at their first FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 1966 where they qualified but withdrew from the competition.
Nigeria's first appearance in The FIFA World Cup was in 1994 where they were eliminated in the round 1/16.
In 1933, The Nigerian Football Union was founded. The Union organised the first official football tournament in Nigeria, The Governor's Cup. Even though football was primarily a pastime for British colonists of the 1930's, the sport quickly became popular with the local inhabitants of Lagos and surrounding towns.In addition, football games between local teams and the British colonists were an important tool for the formation of national identity and the struggle for independence. In 1949, the NFU became a member of FIFA (International Federation of Association Football).
After the formation of the Nigerian Football Union in 1945, football in Nigeria continued to develop. In the 1950s, the first national team was formed and immediately began winning on the international stage. For instance, in 1955, the Nigerian team won the West African Cup.
The 2018 Nigerian Squad,[2] where they competed at the 2018 World Cup included the following players:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Deportivo La Coruna), Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba), Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United).
Defenders: William Troost-Ekong and Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor), Tyronne Ebuehi (Ado Den Haag), Elderson Echiejile (Cercle Brugge KSV), Bryan Idowu (Amkar Perm), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC), Leon Balogun (Brighton), Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa).
Midfielders: Mikel John Obi (Tianjin Teda), Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Oghenekaro Etebo (Las Palmas), John Ogu (Hapoel Be'er Sheva), Joel Obi (Torino).
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City), Victor Moses (Chelsea), Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Simeon Nwankwo (Crotone).
Nigeria has produced a squad for the 2026 World Cup, including the following players:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali; Maduka Okoye; Ojo Olorunleke
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem; Bright Osayi-Samuel; Sadiq Ismael; Oluwasemilogo Ajayi; Calvin Bassey; Benjamin Tanimu; Kenneth Igbok
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi; Raphael Onyedika; Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi; Frank Onyeka; Alex Iwobi; Fisayo Dele-Bashiru
Forwards: Nathan Tella; Kelechi Iheanacho; Samuel Chukwueze; Paul Onuachu; Ademola Lookman; Victor Boniface; Terem Moffi.
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