Nigeria TV Info — Burkina Faso Leader Demands Answers After World Cup Playoff Controversy

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — Burkina Faso’s President, Ibrahim Traoré, has called for an explanation from both the country’s Football Federation and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following a controversial outcome that saw Burkina Faso miss out on a World Cup playoff spot to Nigeria.

The dispute arose after Burkina Faso secured a 3–1 victory over Ethiopia, a result the team believed had guaranteed their qualification. However, CAF’s decision to discount points earned against the lowest-ranked team in each group — a rule enforced after Eritrea’s withdrawal from the qualifiers — reshuffled the standings in Nigeria’s favor. Nigeria, who had only drawn twice against Zimbabwe, the bottom-ranked team in their group, unexpectedly advanced instead.

Reports indicate that Traoré is demanding a detailed breakdown of the qualification calculations, especially considering Burkina Faso’s strong performance in the latter stages of the campaign. The Stallions had been compelled to play early qualifiers away from home while their Stade du 4 Août underwent renovations to meet CAF standards. Upon returning to their home ground, they secured vital victories, only to later discover that Nigeria had advanced at their expense.

The controversy has sparked outrage among Burkinabé football fans, with many calling for greater transparency from CAF regarding its ranking and point-adjustment rules.