The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria have been eliminated from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship after drawing 1-1 with Ivory Coast in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
The result ended Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and FIFA U-17 World Cup. The five-time world champions finished bottom of Group B with one point from two matches.
The Eaglets needed a win to remain in contention after losing 2-1 to Niger Republic in their opening fixture on Wednesday. However, Ivory Coast took the lead through Alex Fousseni in the 16th minute at the Stade du 4 Août.
Head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s side fought back and eventually drew level through Abiodun John in the 84th minute. Despite the late equaliser, Nigeria failed to score the winning goal needed to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Niger Republic finished top of Group B with four points, while Ivory Coast secured second place with two points. Both teams advanced to the next stage.
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, both hosted by Morocco. The North African country is also scheduled to host the 2027 edition.
The Eaglets will also miss the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth consecutive time. Nigeria last featured at the global tournament in 2019, despite winning the competition a record five times.
