Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have failed to qualify for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA U-17 World Cup following their elimination from the WAFU-B U-17 Championship in Burkina Faso.
The five-time world champions were knocked out on Saturday after playing a 1-1 draw against Côte d’Ivoire in their final Group B encounter at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou.
The result left Nigeria bottom of the group with just one point from two matches, ending their qualification hopes.
The Golden Eaglets entered the encounter needing a victory after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Niger Republic in their opening match on Wednesday.
However, their chances suffered an early setback when Alex Fousseni put Côte d’Ivoire ahead in the 16th minute.
Nigeria struggled to break down the Ivorian defence before Abiodun John eventually restored parity late in the second half.
Despite pushing for a winning goal, the team could not secure the victory needed to advance to the semi-finals.
Niger Republic finished top of Group B with four points, while Côte d’Ivoire progressed in second place with two points.
The elimination means Nigeria will miss the U-17 AFCON for the third consecutive edition, having failed to qualify for the 2025 and 2026 tournaments.
The 2027 competition is scheduled to take place in Morocco.
Nigeria will also miss the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth consecutive edition, extending an absence that began after their last appearance in Brazil in 2019.
The Golden Eaglets, coached by Eboboritse Uwejamomere, are the most successful team in FIFA U-17 World Cup history, having won the tournament five times.
Their latest elimination continues a difficult run for a side that once dominated international youth football.
