Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football teams will not be participating in the upcoming world championships set to commence this week in Germany, as confirmed by the International Federation of American Football on Monday. The delegation faced challenges in obtaining the required visas, leading to their withdrawal from the tournament. Their absence will not be filled, and teams scheduled to face Nigeria in the group stage will be granted 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. holds an automatic spot as the defending champions and Olympic hosts. Despite missing this opportunity, Nigeria still has a chance to secure a place in Los Angeles. A top-two finish in next year’s continental championship would enable them to advance to the final qualification stage known as the “Olympic Q-Series.”

Six men’s and six women’s teams will ultimately compete in the Los Angeles Games. Efforts were made by IFAF, in collaboration with event partners and relevant authorities, to facilitate the Nigerian teams’ travel arrangements to Germany. Unfortunately, it was confirmed this morning that the visas would not be issued in time for the championships.

IFAF has been actively promoting the sport in Africa in anticipation of the 2028 Olympics, with Nigeria emerging victorious in the inaugural IFAF African Flag Football Championships held in Cairo last year for both men and women. 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.