Golden Eaglets’ seven FIFA U-17 World Cup absences

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have missed out on a seventh FIFA U-17 World Cup after failing to qualify for the 2027 tournament.

Their latest attempt ended in the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship, where a defeat by Niger Republic and a draw with Cote d’Ivoire in Group B brought their campaign to a close.

The regional tournament is being used to determine qualification for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. That competition will also act as the African qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.

Nigeria have won the world title five times – in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015 – and have finished runners-up on three occasions. Their recent failures, however, mark a sharp contrast with the Golden Eaglets’ former dominance of youth football.

These are the seven FIFA U-17 World Cup editions Nigeria have missed:

1991 – Italy

Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament in Italy after stumbling in the continental qualifying competition.

The setback came after a successful period that included victory in the inaugural 1985 edition and a runners-up finish in 1987. Despite the talent in the squad, the Golden Eaglets were absent as their peers competed on the world stage.

1997 – Egypt

Nigeria’s absence from the 1997 tournament was caused by an administrative issue.

Officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, then known as the NFA, reportedly left the players’ passports in Lagos before a crucial qualifier against Benin Republic in Ibadan. The documents arrived after the scheduled kick-off time, and Nigeria lost the fixture by walkover.

The mistake denied a highly regarded generation the chance to play at the World Cup.

2005 – Peru

The Golden Eaglets failed to qualify after a poor display at the 2005 African U-17 Championship in The Gambia.

Nigeria were eliminated in the group stage, surrendering one of Africa’s World Cup places despite the country’s strong record in age-grade football.

2011 – Mexico

A disappointing continental qualifying campaign kept Nigeria out of the 2011 tournament in Mexico.

The result was particularly painful given the nation’s history at youth level, although the team responded two years later by winning the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

2017 – India

Nigeria’s qualification bid ended in the second round of the regional qualifiers when the reigning champions were beaten by Niger Republic.

That made the Golden Eaglets the first defending champions to miss the following FIFA U-17 World Cup.

2023 – Indonesia

Nigeria reached the 2023 U-17 AFCON but lost 2–1 to Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals.

With only the four semi-finalists guaranteed World Cup qualification, the defeat ended the Golden Eaglets’ hopes of reaching Indonesia.

2025 – Qatar

Nigeria missed the 2025 edition after a 2–0 semi-final defeat by Ghana at the WAFU Zone B tournament.

The failure came as the competition moved to an annual format and extended the Golden Eaglets’ recent absence from a tournament they once dominated.