Nigeria's Golden Eaglets have been eliminated from the WAFU B U-17 Championship in Burkina Faso after a 1-1 draw against Côte d'Ivoire in their second Group B fixture on Saturday.

The result ends Nigeria's hopes of reaching the semifinals and, critically, extinguishes any chance the Golden Eaglets had of qualifying for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco — and by extension, the 2027 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

How the match unfolded

Côte d'Ivoire took control early, with Alex Bamba bundling home from a corner in the 17th minute to give the Ivorians the lead. The Golden Eaglets struggled to respond for long stretches, and their task was made harder by the weight of pressure already on them.

Nigeria had arrived at this match needing a win after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Niger Republic in their tournament opener. Côte d'Ivoire, meanwhile, had drawn 1-1 with Niger Republic in their first game, meaning both sides were desperate for a positive result.

Abiodun John pulled Nigeria level with five minutes remaining, raising hopes of a late turnaround, but the Ivorians held firm to secure the draw they needed.

A costly exit

By finishing third in Group B, the Golden Eaglets are now out of the competition. Niger Republic and Côte d'Ivoire advance to the semifinals as the group's top two sides.

The consequences extend well beyond this tournament. Failure to qualify for the U-17 AFCON in Morocco means the Golden Eaglets will not compete at the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar either — a significant blow to Nigerian youth football's ambitions on the global stage.