Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been drawn alongside Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso in Group B of the 2026 West Africa Football Union (WAFU) B U-20 Championship.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday, placed the defending champions in a challenging group with Ghana’s Black Satellites, Togo’s Junior Sparrow Hawks and Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions for the tournament to be hosted by Côte d’Ivoire.
Hosts Côte d’Ivoire will compete in Group A alongside 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 next week.
The Flying Eagles will be aiming to secure one of the two qualification tickets available for next year’s Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Ghana.
Nigeria head into the competition as defending WAFU B U-20 champions after defeating Ghana 2-1 in the final of the previous edition held in Lomé in 2024.
The Flying Eagles also boast an impressive pedigree on the continent, having won the Africa U-20 title a record seven times and finished as runners-up twice at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Maikaba’s side will be seeking to retain their regional crown while booking a place at the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.
