Folarin Balogun Wants Nigeria to Host FIFA World Cup, but 2042 is the Earliest Realistic Opportunity

Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, a key figure in Mauricio Pochettino’s United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has voiced his desire for Nigeria to one day host football’s biggest global tournament.

The 24-year-old forward was born in New York and raised in London to Nigerian parents of Yoruba heritage. Despite those roots, Balogun chose to represent the United States internationally rather than the Super Eagles. With the USA co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, Balogun is expected to play a significant role in Pochettino’s setup during the tournament.

His wish for his parents’ homeland to host a World Cup, however, faces a lengthy wait under FIFA’s existing rotation and scheduling structure. South Africa remains the only African nation to have staged the tournament to date, hosting the 2010 edition. Morocco is set to become the second African country involved in World Cup hosting when the 2030 edition is shared between Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.

The co-hosting arrangement for 2030 has a direct consequence for the continent’s future bidding prospects. Under FIFA’s confederation rotation rules, Africa’s participation in the 2030 tournament effectively disqualifies a CAF member nation from hosting the 2038 edition. The 2034 tournament has already been awarded to Saudi Arabia, leaving 2038 as the next available slot — one that African nations are ineligible to bid for.

As a result, the 2042 FIFA World Cup represents the earliest realistic window for Nigeria, or any other African nation, to submit a standalone, exclusive hosting bid for the tournament.

Nigeria has never hosted a FIFA World Cup, though the country has been a consistent presence at the tournament since their debut in 1994. The Super Eagles have qualified for seven World Cups and reached the Round of 16 on three occasions — in 1994, 1998, and 2014. Interest in African hosting rights has grown significantly on the continent, with Morocco’s successful 2030 bid — following previous unsuccessful attempts for 1994, 1998, 2006, and 2010 — demonstrating the increasing organisational capacity and ambition among African football federations.

Balogun’s comments came on June 2, 2026, as attention across the football world turns to the imminent start of the 2026 World Cup in North America. His dual cultural identity has kept him connected to Nigerian football discourse, even as he focuses on his commitments with the USMNT and his club career at Monaco in Ligue 1.

Whether Nigeria formally pursues a 2042 World Cup bid will depend on developments within the Confederation of African Football (CAF), FIFA’s bidding timelines, and the country’s infrastructure planning over the coming decade.