Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football teams are unfortunately not able to participate in the upcoming world championships in Germany due to visa issues, as reported by the International Federation of American Football. Consequently, the teams will not be replaced, and opponents scheduled to face Nigeria in the group stage will receive automatic wins.
The top two finishers in both the men’s and women’s competitions, excluding the United States, will directly qualify for the 2028 Games. The U.S. has already secured a spot as the defending champions and Olympic hosts. Despite this setback, Nigeria still has a chance to secure a place in the Los Angeles Games. If they achieve a top-two finish in next year’s continental championship, they will advance to the final qualification stage known as the “Olympic Q-Series.”
Six men’s and six women’s teams will ultimately compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Efforts were made by the IFAF, in collaboration with event partners and relevant authorities, to facilitate the teams’ travel to Germany, but unfortunately, the visas could not be obtained in time for the championships.
The IFAF has been actively promoting the sport in Africa leading up to the 2028 Olympics, with Nigeria emerging victorious in the inaugural IFAF African Flag Football Championships in Cairo last year in both the men’s and women’s categories. Notably, Nigeria had a significant presence in the NFL last year, with 19 Nigerian-born players in the league at the beginning of the 2025 season.