Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have been eliminated from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship after playing a 1-1 draw with Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday in Burkina Faso, ending their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The result handed the team, coached by Eboboritse Uwejamomere, an early exit following their opening defeat to Niger Republic, which left them needing a victory against the Ivorians to keep their campaign alive.
Despite scoring in the 80th minute, Nigeria failed to secure the win required to progress to the semi-finals, allowing Niger and Côte d’Ivoire to advance in the competition.
The elimination means the Golden Eaglets will miss another edition of the continental tournament, extending Nigeria’s absence from the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations to three consecutive editions, according to reports on the team’s campaign.
The setback comes despite Nigeria’s impressive history at the youth level. The country has won the FIFA U-17 World Cup five times, making it the most successful nation in the competition’s history.
However, the team’s latest failure to progress through the regional qualifiers also means Nigeria will miss the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
The Golden Eaglets last featured at the global tournament in 2019 in Brazil, where they reached the round of 16. Their latest elimination extends their absence from the competition to four consecutive editions.
Nigeria had entered the WAFU-B tournament hoping to secure a return to the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations after missing the previous two editions.
The failure to qualify represents another setback for the country’s youth football programme, with the team unable to convert its final group-stage opportunity into the victory needed to remain in contention.
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