Flying Eagles Target AFCON Ticket After Tough WAFU B Draw

Flying Eagles Target AFCON Ticket After Tough WAFU B Draw

By BSN Sports 

Nigeria's Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group B of the 2026 West Africa Football Union (WAFU) B U20 Championship, where they will face Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso in the group stage of the regional tournament to be hosted by Côte d'Ivoire.

The draw, conducted on Wednesday, placed defending champions Nigeria alongside Ghana's Black Satellites, Togo's Junior Sparrow Hawks and Burkina Faso's Young Stallions. Hosts Côte d'Ivoire will compete in Group A alongside Benin Republic and Niger Republic.

Head Coach Abdu Maikaba is expected to lead a 23-man squad to Côte d'Ivoire, with the team scheduled to depart Nigeria on Monday. The Flying Eagles will be aiming to secure one of the two qualification slots available for the 2027 U20 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Ghana.

Nigeria enters the tournament as the defending WAFU B U20 champions after defeating Ghana 2-1 in the final of the 2024 edition in Lomé, Togo.

The Flying Eagles also boast an impressive pedigree on the continental and global stage, having won a record seven U20 Africa Cup of Nations titles and finished as runners-up twice at the FIFA U20 World Cup.