Nigeria is set to miss five major international football competitions in 2027 after qualification setbacks involving the Super
Falcons, Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets.
The setbacks affect both the men’s youth teams and the senior women’s national team, with Nigeria failing to secure places at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-20 World Cup, among other tournaments.
The Golden Eaglets’ elimination from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship following a 1-1 draw with Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday also ended their hopes of featuring at the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Here are five major competitions Nigeria will miss in 2027.
1. FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will miss the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil after failing to secure qualification through the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign and subsequent qualification playoffs.
The development is a setback for the nine-time African champions, who had hoped to return to the global tournament after
reaching the round of 16 at the 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand.
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 secure qualification through the WAFU-B regional tournament.
The team lost 4-1 to Burkina Faso in the WAFU-B U-20 Championship final in August, with Burkina Faso earning qualification alongside tournament hosts Ghana.
The absence will deny Nigeria another opportunity to compete for the continental title and secure a place at the global youth tournament.
3. FIFA U-20 World Cup 2027
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 tournament serves as the qualification route for African teams seeking places at the global competition.
Nigeria, a two-time runner-up at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, will therefore be absent from the next edition after failing to progress through the regional qualification process.
4. U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2027
The Golden Eaglets will also miss the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations after their elimination from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship in Burkina Faso.
Nigeria needed a victory against Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday to keep their qualification hopes alive but settled for a 1-1 draw.
The result followed an opening defeat to Niger Republic, leaving the Nigerian side unable to advance to the semi-finals.
The elimination extends Nigeria’s absence from the continental U-17 tournament, having also missed the previous two editions.
5. FIFA U-17 World Cup 2027
Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations also ends the Golden Eaglets’ hopes of featuring at the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
The country has won the competition five times, making it the most successful nation in the tournament’s history.
However, the latest regional qualification setback means the team will miss another edition of the global competition. The Golden Eaglets last participated in 2019, when they reached the round of 16 in Brazil.
The absence of the three national teams from these competitions represents a difficult period for Nigerian football, particularly at youth level, where the country has historically enjoyed considerable success.
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