By Emeka Dennar
Nigeria’s U20 national team, the Flying Eagles, have been drawn alongside Ghana’s Black Satellites, Togo’s Junior Sparrow Hawks, and Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions in Group B of the 2025 West Africa Football Union (WAFU) B U20 Championship, which will be hosted by Côte d’Ivoire.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday, placed the Flying Eagles and their three opponents in Group B. Group A consists of host nation Côte d’Ivoire, Benin Republic, and Niger Republic.
Head Coach Abdu Maikaba is expected to lead a squad of 23 players to the tournament, with the team scheduled to depart Nigeria on Monday. The Flying Eagles will be aiming to secure one of the two WAFU B qualification spots available for next year’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in Ghana.
Nigeria go into the competition as the defending champions, having won the previous edition of the tournament in Lomé in 2024. On that occasion, the Flying Eagles defeated Ghana’s Black Satellites 2-1 in the final to lift the title.
The Flying Eagles also boast an impressive pedigree on the continent and globally, having won the U20 Africa Cup of Nations seven times and finished as runners-up at the FIFA U20 World Cup on two occasions in 1989 and 2005.
