Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football teams will miss the world championships that start this week in Germany, the International Federation of American Football said on Monday, after the delegation was unable to secure the necessary visas.
Reuters reports that the tournament, the first Olympic qualifying event for the sport ahead of its Games debut at LA28, will not replace Nigeria in the competition. Teams that were set to play Nigeria in the group stage will be awarded an automatic victory.
The top two finishers in the men’s and women’s competitions – excluding the United States – qualify directly for the 2028 Games. The US, who are the men’s and women’s defending champions, have already been granted a spot in the Olympic hosts.
However, Nigeria will still have a chance to book a ticket to Los Angeles. A top-two finish at next year’s continental championship would allow them to compete at the final stage of qualification in the Olympic Q-Series.
Six men’s and six women’s teams will compete at the Los Angeles Games.
