Nigeria to Miss U-17 World Cup After WAFU B Exit

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets were eliminated from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship after a 1-1 draw with Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday in Burkina Faso. Following an opening loss to Niger, Nigeria needed a win to reach the semi-finals, while Niger and Côte d’Ivoire advanced. The result means Nigeria will miss the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, extending their absences to three consecutive AFCON editions and four World Cup editions. Five-time world champions Nigeria last played at the global tournament in 2019, reaching the round of 16.