Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have been eliminated from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship after playing a 1-1 draw with Ivory Coast, ruling the five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup champions out of qualification for both the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The decisive Group B encounter took place at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou on Saturday. The result left Nigeria with just one point from two matches, ending their hopes of progressing to the next stage of the regional competition.
The Golden Eaglets entered the match needing a victory after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Niger Republic in their opening fixture on Wednesday. However, despite a late fightback against Ivory Coast, Nigeria could not secure the three points needed to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Fousseni Puts Ivory Coast Ahead
Ivory Coast took the lead in the 16th minute through Alex Fousseni, putting pressure on head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere and his young Nigerian side.
Nigeria responded by pushing forward in search of an equaliser, but the team struggled to turn their attacking efforts into the goal needed to revive their campaign.
Their persistence eventually paid off in the 84th minute when Abiodun John scored to restore parity and set up a tense finish.
Despite the late momentum, the Golden Eaglets were unable to find a winning goal before the final whistle, leaving them with only a point from the encounter.
Nigeria Finish Bottom of Group B
The draw confirmed Nigeria’s elimination from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship, with the final Group B standings leaving the Golden Eaglets at the bottom of the table.
Niger Republic finished top of the group with four points, while Ivory Coast secured second place with two points. Nigeria collected just one point from their opening two matches following their defeat to Niger and the draw against Ivory Coast.
The outcome means Nigeria will not qualify for the 2027 U-17 AFCON through the regional competition.
Golden Eaglets Miss Third Consecutive U-17 AFCON
Nigeria’s failure to advance extends a disappointing run in African youth football. The Golden Eaglets will miss the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations for the third consecutive edition after also failing to qualify for the 2025 and 2026 tournaments, both hosted by Morocco.
Morocco is also scheduled to host the 2027 edition of the continental competition, but Nigeria will be absent after their early exit from the WAFU-B qualifying tournament.
The latest setback raises further concerns about Nigeria’s ability to return to the top of African youth football, particularly given the country’s historic success at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
No FIFA U-17 World Cup for Nigeria Since 2019
The disappointment also extends to the global stage, as the Golden Eaglets will miss the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup, extending their absence from the tournament to four consecutive editions.
Nigeria last featured at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2019. The country remains one of the most successful teams in the competition’s history, having won the title five times.
However, their failure to progress from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship means the team will have to wait longer for another opportunity to compete for continental and global honours.
For the young players and coaching crew, the elimination represents a major disappointment after their efforts to recover from the opening defeat to Niger Republic.
The Golden Eaglets’ immediate challenge will be to learn from the campaign and rebuild ahead of future youth competitions, as Nigeria seeks to restore its reputation as a leading force in international age-group football.