- Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets and Super Sand Eagles have suffered qualification setbacks ahead of major international competitions in 2027
- The failures mean the country is set to miss six tournaments across women’s football, men’s youth football and beach soccer
- Nigeria’s latest disappointment came after the Golden Eaglets were eliminated from the WAFU-B U-17 Championship following a 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast
Nigeria is facing a difficult period in international football after a series of qualification failures left several national teams set to miss major competitions in 2027.
The setbacks have affected the Super Falcons, Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets and Super Sand Eagles, raising concerns about the country’s competitiveness across different levels of the game.
Source: Getty Images
These come after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup earlier this year, losing the ticket to South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the playoffs.
The affected tournaments include the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations.
The latest disappointment came on Saturday when the Golden Eaglets played out a 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast at the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship in Burkina Faso.
Nigeria needed a win to keep their hopes alive but failed to advance after an earlier defeat to Niger Republic.
The Super Sand Eagles also fell short after losing 10-7 on aggregate to Ghana in their beach soccer qualifying tie.
Here, Legit.ng has compiled all six major competitions Nigeria is set to miss in 2027.
1. FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027
The Super Falcons are set to miss the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil after failing to secure qualification through Africa’s qualifying process, Soar Africa reports.
The setback would end Nigeria’s remarkable record of appearing at every edition of the women’s global showpiece since the tournament began in 1991.
The nine-time African champions had enjoyed an encouraging run at the 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand, reaching the round of 16 before losing to England on penalties.
Nigeria later reinforced its continental dominance by winning the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. However, that success has not translated into qualification for the next World Cup.
Missing the tournament would be a significant blow to Nigerian women’s football, denying the Falcons another opportunity to compete against the world’s leading teams and build on their recent achievements.
2. U-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2027
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will miss the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations after failing to qualify through the WAFU-B regional competition.
The team lost 4-1 to Burkina Faso in the final of the WAFU-B U-20 Championship in August. Burkina Faso and hosts Ghana secured qualification for the continental tournament, leaving Nigeria out of the competition.
The Flying Eagles have won the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations twice, in 1983 and 1985. Their absence from the 2027 edition will deny another generation of players the chance to compete for an African title.
The failure also raises questions about the consistency of Nigeria’s youth development system and the team’s preparation for decisive regional qualifiers.
The Flying Eagles’ failure to qualify for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations also means Nigeria will miss the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The continental championship provides the qualification route for African teams, so Nigeria’s failure to advance through the WAFU-B competition has ended its hopes of reaching the global tournament.
The Flying Eagles have a proud record at the U-20 World Cup, finishing runners-up in 1989 and 2005. They also reached the quarter-finals in 2023 before losing to South Korea.
Missing the next edition will deprive Nigeria’s emerging talents of valuable international experience and an opportunity to attract attention from scouts and clubs around the world.
4. U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2027
The Golden Eaglets are also set to miss the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations after failing to progress at the WAFU-B U-17 Championship in Burkina Faso, Foot Africa reports.
Nigeria needed to defeat Côte d’Ivoire in their decisive group match but could only manage a 1-1 draw. An earlier loss to Niger Republic had left the team under pressure, and the dropped points proved costly.
The elimination means the Golden Eaglets will miss another opportunity to compete for continental honours and secure a place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Nigeria’s record at youth level makes the setback particularly disappointing. The team has long been associated with producing talented young players, but repeated qualification failures have intensified scrutiny of scouting, coaching and grassroots development.
5. FIFA U-17 World Cup 2027
Nigeria’s failure to advance at the WAFU-B U-17 Championship has also ended the Golden Eaglets’ hopes of featuring at the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, according to Mike The Pundit on X.
The Golden Eaglets are the most successful team in the tournament’s history, having won the title five times in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015. Nigeria has also finished runners-up on three occasions.
Their last appearance came in 2019 in Brazil, where they reached the round of 16 before losing 3-1 to the Netherlands.
Missing the 2027 edition would extend a difficult spell for a team once renowned for competing strongly on the global stage. It also highlights the challenge of consistently identifying, developing and preparing young players for international football.
6. Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations 2027
The Super Sand Eagles complete the list after losing their qualifying tie against Ghana, missing out on the 2027 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations.
Nigeria drew the first leg 3-3 at home but suffered a 7-4 defeat in the return fixture in Keta, the NFF confirmed on X.
Ghana’s Black Sharks therefore advanced with a 10-7 aggregate victory.
The result is another setback for a Nigerian side that has previously enjoyed success in beach soccer. The Super Sand Eagles won the continental title in 2016 and finished runners-up in 2018.
Their absence from the 2027 tournament will deny Nigeria another chance to compete for African honours. Returning to the continent’s leading sides will require consistent preparation, investment and opportunities to test the team against strong opposition.
What Nigeria needs to qualify for AFCON 2027
Legit.ng previously reported about what the Super Eagles must do to qualify for AFCON 2027 after their 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau.
Nigeria have four matches left, but may need to beat Guinea-Bissau by at least four goals to gain the head-to-head advantage.
Source: Legit.ng