Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup after crashing out of the WAFU-B U-17 Championship in Burkina Faso.
According to TheCable, Nigeria played out a 1-1 draw against Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday, finishing bottom of their group and missing qualification for the continental championship.
The result means the five-time world champions will also miss the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which serves as the qualifying tournament for the World Cup.
Golden Eaglets crash out after Ivory Coast draw
Nigeria entered the encounter needing a victory after losing their opening match against Niger Republic.
However, their hopes suffered an early setback when Alex Bamba gave Côte d’Ivoire the lead in the 17th minute.
The defender converted from a corner kick, leaving Nigeria trailing at halftime.
Despite several attacking opportunities, the Golden Eaglets struggled to find an equaliser.
Mubarak Fasiu missed a promising first-half opportunity, while the Ivorians continued to threaten Nigeria’s defence after the break.
Nigeria eventually equalised five minutes before the end of regulation time through Columbus Igboenyobe, who converted a rebound.
The late goal briefly revived Nigeria’s hopes of securing the victory required to advance.
However, Abiodun John missed a chance after breaking through on goal, while the Ivorian goalkeeper produced a stoppage-time save to preserve the draw.
Nigeria’s U-17 World Cup absence continues
The elimination marks the first time Nigeria have exited the WAFU-B Championship at the group stage.
The Golden Eaglets, led by Eboboritse Uwejamomere, will now miss the U-17 World Cup for the fourth consecutive edition.
Nigeria remain the most successful country in the history of the men’s competition, having won the title five times.
However, the country has not participated in the tournament since 2019.
The latest elimination raises further questions about the development of age-grade football in Nigeria, particularly the country’s ability to consistently qualify for international youth competitions.
