Burkina Faso defender Steeve Yago has launched a scathing criticism at FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the criteria used to rank the best second-placed teams for the upcoming FIFA World Cup playoff tournament.
Yago expressed his frustration after Burkina Faso narrowly missed out on qualification, losing the final playoff spot to Nigeria on goal difference.
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The 32-year-old questioned the logic behind the point deductions applied to matches against bottom-placed teams, which he believes unfairly penalized his country.
“Frankly, it’s incomprehensible,” Yago lamented. “You win your matches against the weakest team in your group, yet Nigeria is ahead of you—despite failing to even beat Zimbabwe, last in their group! Thank you CAF and FIFA! My career is nearing an end… I’ll soon study the field to criticize you properly.”
Under the adjusted system, Burkina Faso’s 21 points were reduced to 15 after deductions from their wins over Djibouti, while Nigeria’s 17 points dropped to 15 following two draws against Zimbabwe.
The Super Eagles advanced due to a superior goal difference over Burkinafaso in the final ranking of the runners up from their respective groups.
CAF confirmed that the updated ranking rules were communicated to all member associations in March, following Eritrea’s withdrawal from Group E—a decision that altered the ranking formula for runners-up.
Nigeria will now face Gabon in the first semifinal of the African playoff tournament in Morocco this November, with the winner set to meet either Cameroon or DR Congo in the final.
The winner from this path will qualify for the intercontinental playoff in March 2026, where six teams will battle for the last two FIFA World Cup spots.
