Just as it did four years ago in Qatar, Nigeria and Nigerians have been watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, without the joy of their national team participating. While this is considered a football disappointment, economically, it is something much bigger. Every World Cup qualification creates a temporary industry around the national team, generating income for businesses, jobs for thousands of Nigerians and valuable international exposure. Nigeria’s absence represents not simply a sporting failure but a missed economic opportunity whose costs extend far beyond the football pitch.