Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football teams have withdrawn from the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany, after visa issues prevented them from travelling in time for the tournament.
Gatekeepers News reports that the withdrawal was announced on Monday in a joint statement by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), Nigeria’s National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigerian Federation of American Football.
According to the statement, efforts were made to secure the required visas, but the teams were informed that the visas would not be issued before the championships. IFAF said it had explored “every possible avenue” to enable the Nigerian teams to travel to Germany.
Nigeria had earned its place at the global tournament after both its men’s and women’s teams won gold at the inaugural IFAF African Flag Football Championships in Cairo, Egypt, in June 2025. The victories secured direct qualification for the 2026 World Championships.
The Düsseldorf tournament was expected to mark Nigeria’s debut appearance at the world championships and an important milestone for the country’s emerging flag football programme. IFAF expressed sympathy for the athletes and officials who had prepared for the competition and were looking forward to representing Nigeria on the global stage.
Because Nigeria withdrew close to the tournament, its places cannot be handed to the reserve teams from the 2025 African championship. Teams drawn to play Nigeria in the group stage will instead be awarded automatic victories under the competition regulations.
Despite the setback, Nigeria’s route to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics remains open. The men’s and women’s teams can compete at the 2027 IFAF Continental Championships, where a top-two finish would earn a place in the Olympic Q-Series, the final stage of qualification for LA28.
The development comes as flag football continues to gain momentum in Nigeria. The sport is scheduled to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, while the Nigerian federation has continued to expand participation through continental and grassroots competitions.
