Nigeria’s men’s and women’s flag football teams will not be able to participate in the upcoming world championships in Germany due to visa issues, as confirmed by the International Federation of American Football on Monday.
The tournament, which serves as the initial qualifier for the sport’s Olympic debut at LA28, will not fill Nigeria’s spot but will grant automatic wins to teams scheduled to face Nigeria in the group stage. The top two finishers in both the men’s and women’s events, excluding the U.S. as they are the defending champions and host nation, will directly qualify for the 2028 Games.
Despite their absence, Nigeria still holds the opportunity to secure a ticket to Los Angeles. By achieving a top-two placement in next year’s continental championship, they can advance to the final qualification stage in the “Olympic Q-Series.” The Los Angeles Games will feature six men’s and six women’s teams.
In a joint statement with the National Sports Commission of Nigeria and the Nigerian Federation of American Football, IFAF expressed its efforts to facilitate the teams’ travel to Germany, ultimately revealing the unavailability of visas in time for the championships.
IFAF has been actively promoting flag football in Africa in preparation for the 2028 Olympics, with Nigeria’s success at the IFAF African Flag Football Championships in Cairo last year. Notably, Nigeria had a significant presence in the NFL in the prior season, boasting 19 Nigerian-born players at the beginning of the 2025 campaign.
