The Nigerian U-15 football team, known as the Future Eagles, has encountered a hurdle as the Spanish Embassy has withheld visas, preventing their participation in the upcoming UEFA U-16 Development Tournament.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) disclosed the development through a post on X (previously known as Twitter), stating:
“The Spanish Embassy has denied visas to the players and officials of the Nigeria U15 team, Future Eagles. Consequently, they will not be traveling for the UEFA U16 Development Tournament set to commence on Friday.”
The team was scheduled to depart for Spain this Tuesday afternoon, having been invited to the tournament that aims to introduce young talents to international football and facilitate their progression to higher competitive levels.
No specific reasons for the visa denial were provided in the announcement, and the Spanish authorities have yet to issue a statement regarding the matter.
The UEFA Under-16 Youth Development Tournament, established by the European football authority in 2012, serves as a platform for nurturing young players.
Visa challenges are a recurring issue for Nigerian athletes and fans, who often face entry barriers to other countries despite meeting visa requirements.
This incident follows a similar situation in February when Nigeria’s national football team withdrew from a friendly match against Argentina in the United States due to delayed visa approvals for the players.
