Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will miss both the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup after they were eliminated from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship following a 1-1 draw with Ivory Coast in Ouagadougou on Saturday.

The result in their second Group B match at the Stade du 4 Août left the five-time world champions bottom of the table with a solitary point from two games, ending their hopes of qualification.

The Golden Eaglets needed a victory after losing 2-1 to Niger Republic in their opening match on Wednesday, but they could not find the result required to stay alive in the competition.

Nigeria fell behind in the 16th minute when Alex Fousseni scored for Ivory Coast, leaving head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s side with an uphill task.

The young Nigerians continued to push for an equaliser and were rewarded in the 84th minute, when Abiodun John levelled the scores to set up a tense finish. Despite their late efforts, they could not find a winner.

Niger Republic finished top of Group B with four points, while Ivory Coast took second place with two points.

The failure to progress means Nigeria 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.

The disappointment extends to the global stage, as the team will miss the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth consecutive edition. The Golden Eaglets last took part in the tournament in 2019. (Sunday PUNCH, but headline rejigged)