Flying Eagles Hit Egypt For U20 AFCON Final Preparations This Week

Flying Eagles Hit Egypt For U20 AFCON Final Preparations This Week

By Niyi Busari

Nigeria U20 national team, Flying Eagles will travel to Egypt, hosts of the 2025 CAF U20 African Nations Cup for the final phase of the preparation for the tournament on Friday, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Flying Eagles are the most successful team in the tournament having won it a total of seven times (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989,2005, 2011, 2015) and in a deliberate move to further boost their chance of lifting the title in 2025, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has concluded a plan for the under age team to travel eight days before the commencement of tourney so as to acclamitize to weather, and also be physically and mentally ready for the tasks ahead.

In a press release from the NFF, the federation stated that the team will depart Abuja for the biennial competition eight days before kick off. It reads, "Back in Abuja following their three-week training camp in Katsina, the seven-time African champions are expected to fly to Egypt this week for an eight-day final-phase preparation before the competition commences."

Meanwhile, CAF conducted a fresh draw leaving Nigeria with different opponents. Nigeria will now have to contend with Morocco, Kenya and Tunisia in the group phase of the 24th Africa U20 Cup of Nations taking place in Egypt, 27th April – 18th May this year.

At the redraw conducted in the headquarters of the Egypt Football Association in Cairo on Sunday, Egypt and South Africa, who were originally in Nigeria’s pool before Cote d’Ivoire withdrew as tournament hosts, found themselves in Group A.

New hosts Egypt head Group A, which has five teams – with Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania as the other teams.

However, just like it was originally, the Flying Eagles will confront two North African teams (this time, Tunisia and Morocco), as well as East Africans Kenya, for a place in the quarter-finals.

Cup holders Senegal head Group C, with Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana as opponents.

All four semi-finalists at the tournament in Egypt will fly Africa’s flag at this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, 27th September – 19th October.  

GROUP A: Egypt, Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania

GROUP B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Morocco

GROUP C: Senegal, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Ghana