Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football squads will not be participating in the upcoming world championships set to kick off this week in Germany, as announced by the International Federation of American Football on Monday. The delegation faced challenges in obtaining the required visas, leading to their withdrawal from the tournament. Consequently, teams slated to face Nigeria in the group stage will receive automatic wins in place of the absent Nigerian teams.
The top two finishers in both the men’s and women’s categories, excluding the United States, will secure direct qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games. The U.S., the defending champions in both divisions, has already earned a spot due to being the host nation for the upcoming Olympics in Los Angeles. However, Nigeria still holds a prospect to secure a ticket to the Games. By finishing among the top two in next year’s continental championship, Nigeria can advance to the final qualification stage known as the “Olympic Q-Series.”
The Los Angeles Games will feature six men’s and six women’s teams competing in flag football. Despite concerted efforts by the International Federation of American Football, in collaboration with the National Sports Commission of Nigeria and the Nigerian Federation of American Football, the visa issues could not be resolved in time for the championships, leading to the unfortunate withdrawal of the Nigerian teams.
IFAF has been actively working to promote the sport of flag football in Africa leading up to the 2028 Olympics, with Nigeria emerging victorious in the inaugural IFAF African Flag Football Championships held in Cairo last year, showcasing their prowess in both the men’s and women’s categories. Notably, Nigeria had a strong presence in the NFL last year, boasting 19 Nigerian-born players at the beginning of the 2025 season.