Nigeria’s Flying Eagles face a tough challenge ahead of the 2024 U20 WAFU B Championship, as the draw has placed them in a difficult Group B alongside regional heavyweights Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.
The draw, held on Thursday afternoon, revealed that the Flying Eagles, champions of the 2011 edition, will compete in a three-team group as they aim to secure a spot in the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
In contrast, Group A appears more manageable, featuring hosts Togo, along with Niger, Ghana, and Benin.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the tournament’s semifinals, which serves as the qualifying event for the U20 AFCON, scheduled for January 2025 in South Africa. The AFCON will also act as the qualifier for the 2025 U20 World Cup, set to take place in Chile.
Interestingly, South Africa last hosted the U20 AFCON in 2011, a tournament Nigeria won, giving the Flying Eagles a nostalgic boost as they aim for another successful run.
However, before setting their sights on South Africa, the Flying Eagles must first overcome the challenge of the WAFU B qualifying tournament. In the previous year, Nigeria secured third place at the U20 AFCON in Egypt, earning them a place in the U20 World Cup in Argentina.
Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu remains confident in his team’s ability to qualify. He said, “The major competition before us now is the WAFU B Championship, and I believe that qualifying for the U20 AFCON is not negotiable. Nigeria must secure a ticket to the CAF U20 Nations Cup, that’s a certainty.”
As the defending champions of the 2022 WAFU B tournament, Nigeria will aim to continue their dominance and secure a place in the upcoming AFCON.
