Nigeria's Flag Football Teams Withdraw from World Championships

Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football teams have withdrawn from the International Federation of American Football Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf due to visa issues, as announced in a joint statement from the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the National Sports Commission, and the Nigerian Federation of American Football. The statement indicated that despite significant efforts to secure visas, they were not issued in time.

Both teams had qualified for the championships by winning the inaugural African Flag Football Championship in Cairo, Egypt, where the men’s team narrowly defeated Egypt 13-12 and the women’s team triumphed over Morocco 26-12. Although Nigeria's withdrawal means they cannot be replaced by reserve teams, their pathway to the 2028 Olympic Games remains open.

They can still qualify by finishing in the top two at the 2027 IFAF Continental Championships, which would allow them to enter the Olympic Qualifier Series in May and June 2028.