Burkina Faso defender Steeve Yago has expressed his frustration after Nigeria pipped his country to a spot in the continental play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on goal difference.
The Super Eagles thrashed Benin Republic 4–0 to qualify as one of the four best runners-up, joining Gabon, Cameroon, and DR Congo in the next stage of qualifiers.
Despite Burkina Faso’s 3–1 victory over Ethiopia, both teams finished with 15 points — but Nigeria advanced with a superior goal difference.
Gabon topped the runners-up ranking with 19 points, followed by DR Congo (16), Cameroon (+9), and Nigeria (+7), while Burkina Faso narrowly missed out with +6.
Reacting on his X account, Yago wrote:
“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.
“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 criticize it properly.”
Yago’s comments reflect the growing debate over FIFA’s qualification format for Africa, which has left some teams feeling short-changed despite strong performances.
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