Nigeria's 24-year-old benchmark remains intact as round 32 gets underway

Nigeria's notable absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup has not diminished the Super Eagles' enduring legacy, as Cape Verde's remarkable group stage run fell short of eclipsing a 26-year record held by the Nigerian team, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

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Cape Verde, ranked 64th globally, defied expectations by navigating Group H undefeated, securing three draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia to finish second with three points and advance to the Round of 32.

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This feat made Cape Verde the third-lowest ranked nation to reach the knockout stage since FIFA introduced its ranking system in 1994, a testament to the country's impressive debut at the World Cup with a population of approximately 525,000.

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However, Cape Verde's achievement was not enough to surpass Nigeria's standing in this particular aspect of history, as the Super Eagles, who entered the 1998 World Cup ranked 74th, went on to top Group D and defeat Spain 3-2 in a historic match.

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Nigeria's ranking at the time was affected by a two-year suspension imposed by the Confederation of African Football, but their on-field performance was undeniable, cementing their status as the lowest-ranked nation to advance from the group stage in the modern FIFA ranking era.

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This record now stands alongside Cape Verde's achievement, and Nigeria's broader historical footprint at World Cups adds further context to the significance of their 1998 feat, which included climbing to fifth in the FIFA world rankings in April 1994.

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On Sunday, the round of 32 commences with South Africa facing Canada at SoFi Stadium in California, a match that holds historical significance as Bafana Bafana become the first South African team to reach the knockout stage of a World Cup.

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South Africa will face co-hosts Canada in their first competitive match, having previously met in a friendly in November 2007, which South Africa won 2-0, and after recovering from a 2-0 opening defeat to Mexico with a draw against the Czech Republic and a crucial 1-0 victory over South Korea.

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Canada, who were favored to advance, also finished second in their group with four points after winning their opener against Qatar 6-0 but losing to Switzerland 2-1, and the winner of Sunday's contest will face either the Netherlands or Morocco in the Round of 16.