Nigeria Tackles Stats 2026

Nigeria Tackles Stats 2026 - season overview

Nigeria are averaging 8.6 tackles per game in 2026, with matches involving them seeing 17.3 total tackles on average. That puts them 17th of 47 for team tackles per match among CAF World Cup Qualifiers teams on their 2026 record across all competitions. Below you'll find player tackle-rate forecasts, the matchup read for the upcoming fixture against Russia, and a full match-by-match log.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Nigeria players make the most tackles?

Bruno Onyemaechi leads with 16 tackles across 6 qualifying appearances (2.67/g, 83% hit rate). The tackle-rate table on this page lists every Nigeria player with their tackles per qualifying appearance (≥20 minutes), six-game form mask and current Bet365 1+ tackles price for the next fixture.

How does Nigeria's tackle profile look this season?

Nigeria are averaging 8.6 tackles per game over 10 games and concede 8.7 for a match-total of 17.3. That ranks 17th of 47 for team tackles among CAF World Cup Qualifiers teams on their 2026 record across all competitions. They average 10.75 tackles per take-on attempted against them (opposition averages 1.6 take-ons/g).

How is the tackle matchup read calculated?

Tackle matchup blends the defender's tackles per game (50%), the opposition attacker's take-on rate (30%), and the defender's underlying tackle propensity (20%). For the upcoming fixture against Russia, the page's matchup read uses each opposition forward's last-season dribble rate to weight Nigeria's defenders.

Where do these tackle stats come from?

All numbers come from match-level Sportmonks data ingested into Statz - 10 Nigeria fixtures in the active window for 2026. Player odds come from Bet365 player markets when priced. Pre-match lineups are predicted lineups until team news lands, then confirmed.

What counts as a qualifying appearance?

A player must have featured for at least 20 minutes in a fixture for that match to count toward their tackle rate and form. Cameo appearances are excluded so the rates aren't diluted by 5-minute substitutions.

Do tackles count attempted or only successful?

We count attempted tackles per Sportmonks' definition. That matches what Bet365 settles 1+ tackles markets on, so the page's hit-rate and the bookmaker's pricing are aligned.

Nigeria player tackles rates

Player	Position	Apps	Tackles	Per game	1+ hit rate
Calvin Bassey	defender	4	9	2.25	100%
Chidozie Awaziem	defender	1	1	1	100%
Abdullahi Bewene	midfielder	1	1	1	100%
Christian Akpan	defender	1	1	1	100%
Ola Aina	defender	1	2	2	100%
Bruno Onyemaechi	defender	6	16	2.67	83%
Samuel Chukwueze	attacker	3	8	2.67	67%
Bright Osayi-Samuel	defender	5	10	2	60%
Wilfred Ndidi	midfielder	5	9	1.8	60%
Frank Onyeka	midfielder	4	4	1	50%
Zaidu Sanusi	defender	2	1	0.5	50%
Tochukwu Nnadi	midfielder	2	3	1.5	50%
Moses Usor	attacker	2	2	1	50%
Moses Simon	attacker	7	6	0.86	43%
Semi Ajayi	defender	6	2	0.33	33%
Ademola Lookman	attacker	6	3	0.5	33%
Igoh Ogbu	defender	4	2	0.5	25%
Raphael Onyedika	midfielder	4	2	0.5	25%
Alex Iwobi	attacker	7	2	0.29	14%
Akor Adams	attacker	7	0	0	0%
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru	midfielder	4	0	0	0%
Stanley Nwabali	goalkeeper	4	0	0	0%
Paul Onuachu	attacker	2	0	0	0%
Chidera Ejuke	attacker	2	0	0	0%
Emmanuel Fernandez	defender	2	0	0	0%

Nigeria tackles match by match

Date	Competition	Opponent	Venue	Score	Team tackles	Opposition tackles	Match total	Top player
29 Sep 2026	Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications	Guinea-Bissau	Away	3-0	19	13	32	Calvin Bassey (4)
25 Sep 2026	Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications	Madagascar	Home	2-1	17	19	36	Wilfred Ndidi (5)
10 Jun 2026	Friendly International	Portugal	Away	2-1	12	10	22	Tochukwu Nnadi (3)
3 Jun 2026	Friendly International	Poland	Away	2-2	0	0	0
30 May 2026	Friendly International	Jamaica	Away	0-3	0	0	0
26 May 2026	Friendly International	Zimbabwe	Home	2-0	0	0	0
31 Mar 2026	Friendly International	Jordan	Away	2-2	0	0	0
27 Mar 2026	Friendly International	Iran	Away	1-2	0	0	0
17 Jan 2026	Africa Cup of Nations	Egypt	Away	0-0	13	21	34	Samuel Chukwueze (7)
14 Jan 2026	Africa Cup of Nations	Morocco	Home	0-0	25	24	49	Bruno Onyemaechi (8)

Nigeria tackles 2026: last 10 games

Tackles for per game: 17.17
Tackles against per game: 18.67
Match total tackles per game: 35.83
Games: 6
League rank for match tackles: 10 of 24

Nigeria Tackles for 2026 by venue

Scope	Games	Average	Over 12.5 %	Over 14.5 %	Over 16.5 %	Over 18.5 %	Over 20.5 %
Home	2	21	100%	100%	100%	50%	50%
Away	4	15.25	75%	50%	50%	25%	0%
Overall	6	17.17	83%	67%	67%	33%	17%

Nigeria Tackles against 2026 by venue

Scope	Games	Average	Over 12.5 %	Over 14.5 %	Over 16.5 %	Over 18.5 %	Over 20.5 %
Home	2	21.5	100%	100%	100%	100%	50%
Away	4	17.25	75%	50%	50%	50%	50%
Overall	6	18.67	83%	67%	67%	67%	50%

Nigeria Match total 2026 by venue

Scope	Games	Average	Over 26.5 %	Over 30.5 %	Over 32.5 %	Over 34.5 %	Over 38.5 %
Home	2	42.5	100%	100%	100%	100%	50%
Away	4	32.5	75%	75%	50%	25%	25%
Overall	6	35.83	83%	83%	67%	50%	33%

Nigeria Team tackles 2026: overall, home and away (last 10 games)

Team tackles	Overall	Home	Away
Tackles / match	17.17	21	15.25
Tackles over 12.5	83%	100%	75%
Tackles over 14.5	67%	100%	50%
Tackles over 16.5	67%	100%	50%
Tackles over 18.5	33%	50%	25%
Tackles over 20.5	17%	50%	0%

Nigeria Tackles against 2026: overall, home and away (last 10 games)

Tackles against	Overall	Home	Away
Tackles against / match	18.67	21.5	17.25
Tackles against over 12.5	83%	100%	75%
Tackles against over 14.5	67%	100%	50%
Tackles against over 16.5	67%	100%	50%
Tackles against over 18.5	67%	100%	50%
Tackles against over 20.5	50%	50%	50%

Nigeria Match tackles 2026: overall, home and away (last 10 games)

Match tackles	Overall	Home	Away
Match tackles / match	35.83	42.5	32.5
Match tackles over 26.5	83%	100%	75%
Match tackles over 30.5	83%	100%	75%
Match tackles over 32.5	67%	100%	50%
Match tackles over 34.5	50%	100%	25%
Match tackles over 38.5	33%	50%	25%

Nigeria tackles match by match 2026

Date	Competition	Opponent	Score	Tackles for	Tackles against	Match total	1st-half total
29 Sep	Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications	Guinea-Bissau (A)	3-0	19	13	32	-
25 Sep	Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications	Madagascar (H)	2-1	17	19	36	-
10 Jun	Friendly International	Portugal (A)	2-1	12	10	22	-
17 Jan	Africa Cup of Nations	Egypt (A)	0-0	13	21	34	-
14 Jan	Africa Cup of Nations	Morocco (H)	0-0	25	24	49	-
10 Jan	Africa Cup of Nations	Algeria (A)	0-2	17	25	42	-

CAF World Cup Qualifiers tackles table 2026: every team's tackles per game

#	Team	MP	For per game	Against per game	Match total per game	Over 32.5 %
1	Benin	3	19.33	23.67	43	100%
2	Guinea	3	18.67	20	38.67	67%
3	Congo DR	8	19.88	18.63	38.5	63%
4	Congo DR	8	19.88	18.63	38.5	63%
5	Madagascar	3	18.67	19.67	38.33	100%
6	Mauritania	3	18.33	18	36.33	100%
7	Côte d'Ivoire	11	16.64	19.45	36.09	55%
8	Egypt	15	19.13	16.67	35.8	67%
9	Algeria	10	17.3	18.1	35.4	60%
10	Nigeria	7	17	17.57	34.57	57%
11	Nigeria	7	17	17.57	34.57	57%
12	Morocco	16	16.5	17.94	34.44	50%
13	Cape Verde Islands	8	15	19.13	34.13	38%
14	Tunisia	8	16.38	15.75	32.13	50%
15	Mali	5	15.8	15.6	31.4	40%
16	Mozambique	3	11.33	20	31.33	33%
17	Tanzania	3	16	14.33	30.33	33%
18	Cameroon	6	13.5	16.67	30.17	17%
19	Cameroon	6	13.5	16.67	30.17	17%
20	Senegal	13	12.69	16.54	29.23	23%
21	South Africa	10	15.4	13.3	28.7	30%
22	Ghana	10	13.8	14	27.8	30%
23	Burkina Faso	4	10	15.5	25.5	25%
24	Zambia	3	10.67	14.33	25	0%

Nigeria tackles against top-half and bottom-half teams 2026

Opponents	Games	For per game	Against per game	Match total per game	Over 32.5 %
Vs top six	2	6.5	14.5	21	0%
Vs top half	2	6.5	14.5	21	0%
Vs bottom half	0	-	-	-	-
Vs bottom six	0	-	-	-	-

Nigeria tackles per game by competition, last three seasons

Competition	Season	Games	For per game	Against per game	Match total per game	Over 32.5 %
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications	2027	2	18	16	34	50%
Africa Cup of Nations	2025	7	15.86	16.86	32.71	57%
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifications	2025	5	12.8	15.4	28.2	20%
Friendly International	2025	1	8	19	27	0%

Nigeria next three opponents: tackles per game this season

Kick-off	Opponent	Their match total	Their tackles for	Their tackles against	Match total at that venue	For at that venue	Against at that venue
Tue 6 Oct 16:00	Russia (away)	25.83	13.33	12.5	25.8	12.8	13
Wed 11 Nov 00:00	Tanzania (home)	34.33	18.67	15.67	34.5	19.25	15.25
Sun 15 Nov 00:00	Tanzania (away)	34.33	18.67	15.67	34	17.5	16.5

Nigeria players with the most games of 1+ tackles 2026

#	Player	Position	Games with 1+	Apps	Hit rate
1	Bruno Onyemaechi	defender	7	8	88%
2	Calvin Bassey	defender	6	6	100%
3	Wilfred Ndidi	midfielder	5	7	71%
4	Frank Onyeka	midfielder	4	6	67%
5	Ademola Lookman	attacker	4	8	50%

Nigeria players with the most games of 2+ tackles 2026

#	Player	Position	Games with 2+	Apps	Hit rate
1	Bruno Onyemaechi	defender	6	8	75%
2	Frank Onyeka	midfielder	4	6	67%
3	Wilfred Ndidi	midfielder	4	7	57%
4	Calvin Bassey	defender	3	6	50%
5	Raphael Onyedika	midfielder	3	7	43%

Nigeria players with the most games of 3+ tackles 2026

#	Player	Position	Games with 3+	Apps	Hit rate
1	Raphael Onyedika	midfielder	2	7	29%
2	Bright Osayi-Samuel	defender	2	8	25%
3	Bruno Onyemaechi	defender	2	8	25%
4	Tochukwu Nnadi	midfielder	1	2	50%
5	Calvin Bassey	defender	1	6	17%

Russia tackles match by match, last 10 games (next opponent)

Date	Competition	Opponent	Score	Tackles for	Tackles against	Match total	1st-half total
29 Sep	Friendly International	Iran (H)	2-0	8	18	26	-
9 Jun	Friendly International	Trinidad and Tobago (H)	3-0	15	13	28	-
5 Jun	Friendly International	Burkina Faso (H)	3-0	10	3	13	-
28 May	Friendly International	Egypt (A)	1-0	16	10	26	-
31 Mar	Friendly International	Mali (H)	0-0	17	17	34	-
27 Mar	Friendly International	Nicaragua (H)	3-1	14	14	28	-
15 Nov	Friendly International	Chile (H)	0-2	14	11	25	-
12 Nov	Friendly International	Peru (H)	1-1	6	18	24	-
14 Oct	Friendly International	Bolivia (H)	3-0	21	19	40	-
10 Oct	Friendly International	Iran (H)	2-1	5	10	15	-