Burkina Faso’s Yago slams FIFA, CAF after Eagle’s W’Cup playoff qualification
Burkinabé defender Steve Yago has voiced his frustration over Burkina Faso’s failure to reach the CAF playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, questioning how Nigeria advanced ahead of his country despite their strong qualifying campaign.
Following Nigeria’s 4–0 win over Benin, which sealed their place in the playoffs, Yago took to Instagram and X to express his discontent with the qualification format, describing the outcome as unfair.
“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.”
Burkina Faso had celebrated their 3–1 victory over Ethiopia, believing it was enough to secure a playoff spot, only to discover that Nigeria had edged them out on goal difference after both nations finished with identical adjusted points.
Under CAF’s qualification regulations, results against the bottom team in each group are not considered when calculating the best four runners-up.
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Burkina Faso, who finished second in Group A with 21 points behind Algeria, lost six points from their total after excluding results against Djibouti, reducing their tally to 15.
Nigeria, runners-up in Group C with 17 points, dropped only two points from their record after removing results against Zimbabwe, leaving them with 15 points as well, but a superior goal difference. That advantage secured Nigeria the final playoff berth alongside Gabon, DR Congo and Cameroon.
The ruling has also sparked outrage in Ouagadougou, with President Ibrahim Traoré reportedly demanding clarification from the Confederation of African Football on how Nigeria’s qualification was determined.
According to GhanaWeb, President Traoré has also instructed the Burkinabé Football Federation to submit a formal request for a detailed explanation, describing the situation as “deeply disappointing” for both the team and the nation.
The Stallions’ sense of injustice is heightened by the challenges they faced during the qualifiers, having played several early matches away from home while the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou underwent renovation.
