Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football squads will not be able to participate in the upcoming world championships in Germany, as they faced challenges in obtaining the required visas, as per the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) announcement on Monday. Consequently, the teams will not be replaced in the tournament, and opposing teams scheduled to face Nigeria in the group stages will be granted automatic victories.
The top two finishers in both the men’s and women’s categories, excluding the United States, will directly qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games, with the U.S. already holding a spot as the defending champions and hosts for both men’s and women’s divisions. Despite missing the world championships, Nigeria still holds the opportunity to secure a ticket to Los Angeles. Achieving a top-two placement in next year’s continental championship would enable them to advance to the final stage of qualification in the “Olympic Q-Series.”
Six men’s and six women’s teams are set to compete in the flag football event at the Los Angeles Games. IFAF, along with relevant authorities and Nigerian sports bodies, endeavored to facilitate the teams’ travel to Germany but were ultimately informed that the visas would not be processed in time for the championships.
In recent years, IFAF has actively promoted the sport’s growth in Africa in anticipation of the 2028 Olympics, with Nigeria triumphing at the inaugural IFAF African Flag Football Championships in Cairo last year in both the men’s and women’s categories. Notably, Nigeria boasted the highest representation among nations in the NFL last season, with 19 Nigerian-born players featuring in the league at the commencement of the 2025 campaign.
