Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football teams will not be able to participate in the upcoming world championships in Germany. The International Federation of American Football confirmed this on Monday, citing the teams’ inability to secure required visas. Consequently, Nigeria will not be replaced in the tournament, and opposing teams in the group stage will receive automatic victories against them.
The top two finishers in both the men’s and women’s competitions, excluding the United States, will directly qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The U.S. teams, as defending champions, have already secured spots as the hosts of the Olympics. However, Nigeria still has a chance to qualify for the Games. If they achieve a top-two finish in next year’s continental championship, they will 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 tournament at the Los Angeles Games. Despite extensive efforts by the International Federation of American Football, the National Sports Commission of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Federation of American Football, the necessary visas for the Nigerian teams could not be obtained in time for the championships.
IFAF has been actively promoting flag football in Africa in preparation for the 2028 Olympics, with Nigeria emerging victorious in the IFAF African Flag Football Championships held in Cairo last year for both men’s and women’s categories. Nigeria was well-represented in the NFL last year, boasting 19 Nigerian-born players at the beginning of the 2025 season.