Nigeria Steps Up Olympic Football Preparations with Nairobi Championship Appearance

Nigeria Steps Up Olympic Football Preparations with Nairobi Championship Appearance

By Our Reporter 

The Nigerian Federation of American Football (NFAF) has confirmed that Nigeria's men's, women's, and Under-13 national teams will participate in the 2026 NFL Flag Africa Continental Championship, scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from July 9 to 11, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The championship will be the third edition of the NFL Flag continental tournament in Africa, following the inaugural event hosted by Nigeria in 2024 and the 2025 edition staged in Egypt.

For the first time, the competition will feature both men's and women's senior national teams from five countries—Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa. It will also include an Under-13 tournament, with each participating nation fielding a 10-player squad.

Expressing confidence ahead of the tournament, the NFAF said its players and coaches have worked diligently in preparation for the continental event.

"As a new federation, we know we still have plenty to learn, but our players and coaches have put in the work to get ready for this competition," an NFAF spokesperson said.

"We're proud to represent Nigeria in Nairobi and to give our athletes this platform to compete and grow."

The championship is being organised in partnership with the National Football League (NFL) and sanctioned by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), with the Kenyan Federation of American Football (KFAF) serving as the local organising body.

In addition to the tournament, the event will feature an NFL Elite Talent Identification Workout on July 11, providing selected athletes with an opportunity to showcase their abilities to NFL representatives as part of the league's NFL Africa development programme.

The NFAF said participation in the championship aligns with its broader objective of expanding flag football in Nigeria ahead of the sport's historic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.