Nigeria’s Future Eagles have finished 76th at the 2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, following a 2-1 defeat to Panama in their final classification match.
The Nigerian team played 10 matches during the competition, recording two wins, six draws and two defeats. They began their Group AD campaign with draws against South Sudan (3-3), Jordan (2-2) and The Gambia (3-3), before securing a 2-1 victory over Cyprus. They concluded the group stage with a 1-1 draw against Pakistan.
Nigeria progressed to the Tier C knockout stage, where they recorded their biggest victory of the tournament with a convincing 7-0 win over New Caledonia in the Round of 32. However, their run came to an end in the Round of 16 after suffering a 6-3 defeat to Benin, despite goals from Timothy Ijach, who scored twice, and Wisdom Boniface.
The Future Eagles moved into the classification matches, beginning with a 1-1 draw against Rwanda. Nigeria went on to win the penalty shootout 4-3 to secure victory, keeping their hopes of improving their final tournament position alive.
Their next encounter against Chile also ended in a 3-3 draw, but the South American side prevailed 3-2 on penalties. Nigeria then suffered another setback in their final fixture, losing 2-1 to Panama to bring their campaign to a close.
The Future Eagles finished the tournament with two wins, six draws and two defeats from 10 matches, securing 76th position overall. Their 7-0 triumph over New Caledonia remained the highlight of their campaign, while the defeats to Benin and Panama marked the end of Nigeria’s journey in Azerbaijan.
