Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have been eliminated from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Ivory Coast in their second Group B match at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou on Saturday.
The result means the five-time World champions will miss out on both the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The Golden Eaglets entered the encounter needing a victory after losing their opening match against Niger Republic, but they were unable to secure the result required to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Nigeria fell behind in the 16th minute when Alex Fousseni found the back of the net for Ivory Coast, leaving head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s side with an uphill task.
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The Nigerian youngsters continued to push for an equaliser and were eventually rewarded in the 84th minute, with Abiodun John restoring parity to set up a tense closing period.
However, despite their late efforts, the Golden Eaglets could not find a decisive winner, leaving them with just one point from their two group matches and confirming their elimination from the competition.
Niger finished top of Group B with four points, while Ivory Coast secured second place with two points. Nigeria finished bottom of the group with a solitary point.
The failure to progress means the Golden Eaglets will miss the U-17 AFCON for the third consecutive edition, having also failed to qualify for the 2025 and 2026 tournaments, both hosted by Morocco. The North African country will also host the 2027 edition.
Nigeria’s disappointment extends to the global stage, with the team set to miss the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth consecutive edition. The Golden Eaglets last participated in the tournament in 2019.
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