The Flying Eagles of Nigeria have lined up two friendly matches against Ivory Coast after their scheduled games against Egypt were canceled.
The matches will take place in Abidjan on Wednesday, June 26, and Friday, June 28. Flying Eagles team administrator, Aliyu Ibrahim, confirmed that the squad will depart Abuja for Abidjan on Monday.
The seven-time African champions have been in camp for weeks under head coach Aliyu Zubairu, who initially invited 30 players for the canceled Egypt friendlies.
The Egypt matches were called off after both teams were drawn into Group B of the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, alongside Morocco and South Africa.
Nigeria heads into these friendlies with positive memories against the Young Elephants, having defeated them 2-1 in the group stage of the WAFU B U-20 Championship in Togo last October. That victory propelled the Flying Eagles to the semi-finals, and they went on to win the tournament.
The rivalry between Nigeria and Ivory Coast in youth football dates back 42 years to the Tessema Cup final—the former U-20 African championship—where Nigeria edged the Ivorians 4-3 on aggregate. After a 2-2 draw in Abidjan, Dahiru Sadi’s stunning long-range strike sealed a 2-1 win for Nigeria in the return leg at Lagos’ National Stadium.
The 2025 U-20 AFCON, set to take place in Ivory Coast from April 26 to May 18, will see the top four teams qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, scheduled from September 27 to October 19.
