Naija News reports that Nigeria booked their playoff spot with a 4-0 victory over Benin, while Burkina Faso believed their 3-1 win against Ethiopia would be enough to see them through. However, when the final standings were confirmed, the Super Eagles advanced, leaving the Stallions stunned.
A visibly upset Yago took to Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to question the qualification system, expressing disbelief that Nigeria progressed despite failing to beat the lowest-ranked team in their group.
“Honestly, it’s strange. You win your matches against the weakest team in your group, and yet Nigeria is ahead of you, even though they didn’t even beat Zimbabwe, the bottom side in their group,” Yago wrote. “Apparently, beating the last-placed team is too conventional. Thank you, CAF and FIFA! With my career coming to an end, I’ll soon study the system so I can criticise it properly.”
The controversy stems from CAF’s qualification format, which removes results against the last-placed team in each group when calculating the best four runners-up.
Burkina Faso finished second in Group A with 21 points behind Algeria, but six of those points were deducted after results against Djibouti were excluded — leaving them on 15 points. Nigeria, who placed second in Group C with 17 points, lost only two points after their results against Zimbabwe were discounted, also finishing on 15 points but with a superior goal difference. That margin secured their playoff qualification alongside Gabon, DR Congo, and Cameroon.
The development has sparked outrage in Ouagadougou, where President Ibrahim Traoré has reportedly demanded clarification from CAF regarding Nigeria’s qualification.
According to GhanaWeb, President Traoré has directed the Burkinabé Football Federation to file a formal protest, describing the outcome as “deeply disappointing” for both the players and the nation.
The Stallions’ frustration is further compounded by the challenges they faced during the qualifiers, as several of their home games had to be played outside Burkina Faso due to ongoing renovations at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou — forcing them to compete without their home supporters.