Golden Eaglets eliminated from WAFU-B Championship, will miss U-17 AFCON, World Cup

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have crashed out of the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship after playing a 1-1 draw against Cote d’Ivoire in a Group B encounter on Saturday, Peoples Gazette reported. The outcome means the five-time world champions will now miss the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup, ending their hopes of reaching both tournaments.

According to the report, Cote d’Ivoire went ahead through Alex Bamba in the 17th minute and took that lead into the break. Nigeria, who are coached by Eboboritse Uwejamomere, trailed for much of the contest before Colombus Igboenyobe drew them level in the 85th minute. The late equaliser, however, was not enough to keep the Golden Eaglets in the competition, as the draw left them bottom of the group.

The result ensured Nigeria finished bottom of Group B with one point from two matches. Cote d’Ivoire finished second with two points, while Niger Republic won the group with four points. With only one point to their name, the Golden Eaglets ended their campaign firmly behind both sides in the final Group B standings. The Peoples Gazette report added that the elimination marks the fourth straight absence of the five-time world champions from the global showpiece. The five-time world champions managed just one point across their two group matches, a return that left them trailing Niger Republic by three points and Cote d’Ivoire by one. Nigeria will therefore be missing from both the continental and world stages in 2027, after the Group B result in the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship.