The Rich History of Nigerian Football

With some 4 billion fans globally, football is the most popular sport in the world — and it’s no wonder. The game has a vibrant history and is considered by many of its most ardent fans as a way of life more than a mere game. 

Indeed, since the moment of its inception, football has been intimately wound up with politics, class, and culture. In Nigeria, this is especially true.

The socio-political importance of this prestigious sport may not always be present in your mind when you go to check today's Premier League match results. Nonetheless, we hope that this article will give you a better appreciation of the history of football in Nigeria and an understanding of why it remains so important to this nation today.

  

The Early Days of Football in Nigeria

Britain brought many changes to Nigeria — some for better, some for worse, but all irrevocably shaping the nation. One of the new concepts that was introduced to the country was football, the game that would later become Nigeria’s national sport.

The first recorded football match in Nigeria took place in June 1904 and was between the crew of the HMS Thistle, a British gunboat, and students from the Hope Waddell Training Institution in Calabar. A couple of years later, football clubs began to spring up all across the country.

The first Nigerian football association was established in 1932 and was named the Lagos District Amateur Football Association. Thirteen years later, the National Football Association was established — a name people will recognize today as the current governing body of football in Nigeria.

 

Football as a Political Tool

Due to football’s popularity, it didn’t take long for it to become Nigeria’s national sport. It gave Nigerians a sense of pride in their nation and helped bring them together. More than that, though, it soon took on life as a political symbol for many citizens.

This was, in part, thanks to the work of one Nnamdi Azikiwe, who in 1938 established a sports club to help combat segregation in football. The Zik’s Athletics Club became synonymous with self-determination and national pride and toured the country to spread Azikiwe’s ideals.

By the end of World War II, football was already a huge part of Nigeria’s cultural landscape —and with it had grown an impetus for independence from Britain’s rule. By 1960, that independence was achieved, and just three short years later, Azikiwe was elected as Nigeria’s first president. 

In What Year Did Nigeria Join FIFA?

The Nigerian Football Association applied to join FIFA in 1959. A year later, the very same year the country claimed its independence from Britain, its application was accepted. Since that time, the Nigerian national football club has qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals six times. The most recent appearance of the team in the FIFA World Cup was in 2018.

The Current State of Football in Nigeria

Over the decades, football has only grown in popularity in Nigeria. Now, the country is home to tens of millions of ardent fans who come together to support their favorite teams. What’s more, Nigerian football players have made a name for themselves all over the globe, playing in some of the world’s best-loved clubs, such as Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC.

There’s also a women’s national team. It has been awarded the African Cup of Nations eleven times.

 

To Conclude

Football seems to be one of the most popular sports in Nigeria. There is no doubt that the game will continue to thrive as the country’s national sport, providing excitement and national unity for years to come.