Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football teams will not be able to participate in the upcoming world championships in Germany due to visa issues, as announced by the International Federation of American Football on Monday. This setback means that Nigeria will not be replaced in the tournament, and teams scheduled to face Nigeria in the group stage will receive automatic victories.
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., as the reigning champions in both categories, has already secured a spot as the host nation for the Olympics. Despite this setback, Nigeria still has an opportunity to earn a ticket to Los Angeles by finishing in the top two at the continental championship next year, granting them a chance to compete in the final qualification stage known as 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. Efforts were made by the International Federation of American Football, in collaboration with event partners and relevant authorities, to facilitate the Nigerian teams’ travel to Germany, but unfortunately, visa issuance delays prevented their participation, as confirmed by a joint statement from IFAF, the National Sports Commission of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Federation of American Football.
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 both the men’s and women’s categories at the inaugural IFAF African Flag Football Championships held in Cairo last year. In addition, Nigeria had a notable presence in the NFL last season, with 19 Nigerian-born players in the league at the beginning of the 2025 season.
