How Many Trophies Has Nigeria Won

When football fans ask how many trophies has Nigeria won, the question seems simple — but the answer is beautifully complex. Nigeria’s football legacy spans from its senior men’s national team (the Super Eagles) to youth squads, women’s teams, regional tournaments, and even friendly cups. In this article, AnaGoal will take you on a deep dive through Nigeria’s trophy cabinet: what major titles they’ve won, how the count is assembled differently by different sources, and where Nigeria’s most glorious moments lie.

Understanding What Counts As A “Trophy”

Before we list numbers, we need to clarify what counts:

1. Major Official Titles — recognized by FIFA, CAF, or Olympic committees.
2. Regional / Subcontinental Titles — like WAFU Nations Cup, CEDEAO, etc.
3. Youth / Junior / Youth World Cups — under-17, under-20 tournaments.
4. Friendly / Invitational Competitions — e.g. LG Cup, Unity Cup, non-competitive tournaments.
5. Women’s and Men’s Titles — many aggregated totals combine both female and male achievements.

Because different record keepers include or exclude youth and friendly tournaments differently, you’ll find different totals when you search. What we can do is break down by category, then offer some realistic totals.

Nigeria Senior Men’s National Team — Major Titles

Let’s first look at the core trophies at the senior level:

Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)

• Nigeria has won the Africa Cup of Nations 3 times: in 1980, 1994, and 2013.
• They have also been runners-up 5 times and achieved third place in multiple editions.

Afro-Asian Cup of Nations

• Nigeria won the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations once, in 1995—a now-defunct intercontinental cup between Africa and Asia.

African Nations Championship & Other Continental

• Nigeria has not won the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in the senior category, but has occasionally reached runner-up or third place.
• In the African Games, Nigeria has won gold at least once (1973) in men’s football.

Regional & Subregional Titles

• WAFU Nations Cup: Nigeria has won it at least once (2010) and been runners-up in others.
• CEDEAO Cup: Nigeria has also secured this subregional title on occasions.

Friendly / Invitational Trophies

Nigeria has lifted several friendly or invitational trophies over the years:

• Unity World Cup, LG Cup, Catalonia International Trophy, WAFU Unity Cup, and others.
• These are often omitted in stricter counts, but many fan sites include them.

Summary (Senior Men Only)

When you tally only official major and regional titles plus a selection of recognized friendly tournaments, many reliable sources credit Nigeria’s senior men’s side with:

• Africa Cup of Nations: 3
• Afro-Asian Cup: 1
• Regional / subregional titles (WAFU, CEDEAO, etc.): ~2–3
• Invitational / friendly cups: several (often 5-10 depending on inclusion)

This leads to a plausible official trophy count in the mid-teens to low twenties for the senior men’s team when including those smaller cups.

Youth, Women’s, and Combined Figures

Many totals cited online expand the scope to include Nigeria’s successes in youth tournaments and the women’s national team. This leads to much higher numbers.

Youth and Junior Level (Men & Women)

• Nigeria has won the FIFA U-17 World Cup multiple times (notably 5 times for the men’s U-17).
• The FIFA U-20 (U-19) titles and other youth continental tournaments are also included in broader counts.
• The women’s side (Super Falcons) has dominated African women’s football, with 10 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) titles as of 2025.

All-Time Wide Totals

• Some media and fan compilations claim Nigeria has 33 total titles when combining men’s, women’s, youth, and friendly competitions.
• Others go further and assert Nigeria has 58 trophies in various categories, including silver and bronze medals across tournaments. fricanexponent.com])
• These wide aggregates include many minor tournaments, medals, and invitational honors beyond strictly “trophies.”

Reconciling the Numbers: Which to Trust?

So, when someone asks how many trophies has Nigeria won, you’ll see a variety of answers. Here’s how to interpret them:

Scope	Typical Count	Notes
Senior men, official + regional	~10–20	Common in more conservative records
Including invitational / friendly cups	~20–25	Broadens the count to less formal trophies
All men, women, youth combined (popular media)	30–60+	Uses inclusive criteria and all levels
Ultra-broad totals with medals	50+	Includes silver/bronze medals, not just trophies

Most authoritative football databases and record sites focus on official senior men’s titles, which yields a lower but more verifiable number.

Nigeria’s Most Glorious Moments in Trophies

Here are some of the standout trophy achievements in Nigeria’s football history:

• 1980 AFCON: Nigeria’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations triumph, achieved on home soil — a defining national moment.
• 1994 AFCON: With stars like Nwankwo Kanu and Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria won its second continental crown.
• 2013 AFCON: The most recent African title, ending a 19-year drought.
• 1995 Afro-Asian Cup: Nigeria’s one-off success in intercontinental competition.
• 1996 Olympic Gold: Though technically a multi-sport event, Nigeria won gold in men’s Olympic football (Atlanta 1996), one of the country’s proudest trophies.
• U-17 World Cup runs: Nigeria’s youth dominance in global U-17 tournaments has added major trophies to the national brand.

Why Conflicting Counts Persist

1. Different inclusion criteria: Some counts include friendly, invitational, or minor regional cups, others stick strictly to major official competitions.
2. Youth and women’s titles: Many records mix men’s, women’s, and youth tournaments — inflating the total.
3. Poor historical record-keeping: In early decades, documentation of friendly cups or regional tournaments was inconsistent.
4. Medals vs cups: Some sources count runner-up or bronze medals as trophies, which distorts comparisons.

What’s The Best Answer?

If someone wants a safe, verifiable answer, you can say:

Nigeria’s senior men’s national team has officially won 3 Africa Cup of Nations championships and 1 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations, plus several regional and friendly trophies — giving them a likely total in the range of 10 to 20 credible trophies.

If you include youth, women, and broader tournaments, many sources push that figure to 30 to 60+.

Either way, Nigeria sits among Africa’s most decorated footballing nations.

Final Thoughts

How many trophies has Nigeria won — it depends on what you count, but the story is always impressive. From their three AFCON titles to youth world cups and women’s dominance, Nigeria’s football legacy is rich, passionate, and full of glory moments.

If you liked this breakdown, AnaGoal invites you to explore deeper: check Nigeria’s trophy list by year, compare them with other African nations, or dive into profiles of Nigeria’s greatest trophy-winning squads. Want an article on “Nigeria’s trophy-winning generations” or “Comparing Africa’s top national trophy counts”? Just say the word!