Burkina Faso’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has demanded an explanation from CAF after his country lost a World Cup playoff spot to Nigeria due to a disputed rule adjustment.
Burkina Faso’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has demanded answers from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Burkina Faso Football Federation after the Stallions were denied a World Cup playoff spot in favour of Nigeria.
The controversy followed Burkina Faso’s 3–1 victory over Ethiopia, which they believed had secured their qualification.
However, CAF’s application of a rule excluding results against the lowest-ranked teams in each group — implemented after Eritrea’s withdrawal — shifted the standings.
The adjustment benefited Nigeria, who had drawn twice with Zimbabwe, the bottom team in their group.
Reports from Ouagadougou indicated that Traoré was “deeply displeased” by the outcome and has requested a full explanation of the qualification formula used by CAF.
Burkina Faso had played several of their early fixtures away from home while the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou underwent renovations to meet CAF standards. Upon returning home, they recorded strong wins that seemed to seal qualification before the rule change altered their fate.
“The people deserve transparency,” Traoré reportedly told sports officials, as fans across Burkina Faso expressed anger over what many described as “an injustice against African football.”