Burkinabé star Yago criticises CAF, FIFA over Nigeria’s play-off qualification

By Ayobami Okerinde

Burkina Faso defender Steeve Yago has expressed heavy vexation aft Nigeria clinched a spot successful the continental play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, edging retired his state connected extremity difference.

Nigeria qualified arsenic 1 of the 4 champion runners-up pursuing the decision of the African qualifying round, joining Cameroon, Gabon, and DR Congo successful the adjacent stage.

The Super Eagles defeated Benin Republic 4–0 successful their last radical game, portion Burkina Faso bushed Ethiopia 3–1. Despite some sides finishing with 15 points, Nigeria precocious owed to a superior extremity difference.

Gabon topped the runners-up ranking with 19 points, followed by DR Congo (16), Cameroon (+9 extremity difference), and Nigeria (+7), portion Burkina Faso (+6) narrowly missed out.

Reacting connected his X account, Yago criticised the qualification format, questioning however results were assessed.

“Honestly, it’s strange: you triumph your matches against the weakest squad successful your group, and yet Nigeria is up of you, adjacent though they didn’t adjacent bushed Zimbabwe, the bottommost broadside successful their group. Apparently, beating the last-placed squad is excessively conventional. Thank you, CAF and FIFA!” Yago wrote successful French.

“With my vocation coming to an end, I’ll soon survey the strategy truthful I tin knock it properly,” helium added.

Why Nigeria qualified for World Cup play-offs up of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso’s vexation stems from a method regularisation accommodation pursuing Eritrea’s withdrawal from Group E earlier the qualifiers began. Under CAF’s regulations, results against sixth-placed teams were discounted successful ranking the champion second-placed nations.

This meant Burkina Faso’s victories implicit Djibouti, location and away, did not number toward their last total. Consequently, their 21 points were reduced to 15, and their extremity quality dropped from +15 to +6, allowing Nigeria to borderline them.

Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and DR Congo volition present vie successful a mini-tournament successful Morocco successful November, wherever the victor volition beforehand to an intercontinental play-off successful March 2026 for a spot astatine the World Cup.

The station Burkinabé prima Yago criticises CAF, FIFA implicit Nigeria’s play-off qualification appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.