Burkina Faso’s leader, Ibrahim Traoré, has demanded an explanation from the country’s Football Federation and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after his country narrowly missed out on a World Cup playoff spot to Nigeria.
The controversy erupted after Burkina Faso’s 3–1 win over Ethiopia, which they believed had secured their qualification. However, CAF’s decision to discount points earned against the lowest-ranked team in each group — a rule applied after Eritrea’s withdrawal — altered the standings. The adjustment favoured Nigeria, who had only drawn twice with Zimbabwe, the bottom team in their group. The ruling reportedly left Traoré furious and seeking clarity.
According to reports, Traoré has requested a detailed breakdown of how the qualification process was calculated, especially after Burkina Faso’s strong finish to their campaign. The Stallions had been forced to play earlier qualifiers away from home while their Stade du 4 Août underwent renovations to meet CAF standards. Upon returning to their home ground, they secured key victories — only to be informed later that Nigeria had advanced instead.
Melissa Enoch
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