Nigeria was the biggest winner at the IFAF Africa Flag Continental Championships with the country’s men’s and women’s flag football teams taking top prizes in the inaugural tournament on Saturday, 21 June.

The Nigerian men emerged victorious in a thrilling 13-12 final against hosts Egypt in Cairo, Egypt while the country’s women got a dominant 26-12 victory over Morocco.

“This is a great achievement for us and I’m proud of every woman out here,” said Nigeria women’s quarterback Anuoluwapo Bello, who threw four touchdowns passes in the final. “I feel excited for the girls here. There is an opportunity to go to the world championships and show everyone what we can do.”

Tunisia took the bronze medal in the men’s tournament while Egypt wrapped up the podium in the women’s competition.

Their victories in Cairo earn the two Nigerian teams a direct pass to the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships, which will feature the world’s top 16 teams of each gender. Nigeria are the first teams to qualify with more continental championships to follow over 2025.

The inaugural African flag football championships are part of the efforts to grow the sport on the continent ahead of its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028. The tournament featured 11 teams from eight nations with 10 of the teams earning their first official world rankings.