Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have been eliminated from the ongoing 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship following a 1-1 draw against Côte d’Ivoire in their second group match.

The Nigerian youngsters needed a victory to keep their hopes of progressing in the competition alive after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Niger Republic in their opening fixture.

However, the draw against the Ivorians proved insufficient to save Nigeria’s campaign, bringing their participation in the regional tournament to an end.

The elimination represents another setback for the five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup champions, who will now miss out on qualifying for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations for the third consecutive time.

Nigeria will also be absent from the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth consecutive edition, extending the country’s disappointing run in youth football qualification.

The Golden Eaglets had entered the tournament hoping to secure a return to the continental and global stages, but their failure to record a victory in their opening two group matches ended those ambitions.