Ghana–Nigeria football rivalry was the only African nation to ever participate in FIFA World Cup qualifying. Since decolonization had yet to begun in earnest, few nations on the African continent were able to assemble national teams that were internationally recognized and thus eligible for FIFA competitions. Various rivalry cups and tournaments were instituted instead. During the 1950s and 1960s, Nigeria and Ghana would compete in three cup competitions. There are various records of matches having been played between the national teams dating back to 1938. These unofficial matches list the scores and winners but, as with the match in 1938, specific details such
Ghana–Nigeria football rivalry only occurred in 1962 when Ghana secured a 0-0 result in Lagos and were able to retain the cup that they initially won in the competition in 1961. Ghana won or retained the cup in every year that it was contested, continuing a dominance in the rivalry stemming in the early 1960s broken only during a brief period in the mid-1970s and 1980s and lasting until early 2000s. <nowiki>*</nowiki> "Ghana was organized under the Gold Coast Football Federation from this time until its independence" Ghana–Nigeria football rivalry The Ghana–Nigeria football rivalry is a sports rivalry that exists between the national