NFF Sets Camping Dates for Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets

NFF Sets Camping Dates for Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets

By Niyi Busari 

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that the country’s U-20 and U-17 men’s national teams will resume camping later this year, with the Flying Eagles scheduled to return in July and the Golden Eaglets in September, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

According to a schedule released to BSN Sports, preparations for the Flying Eagles will commence first, despite the fact that substantive head coaches are yet to be appointed for either side. Applications for the vacant U-17 and U-20 coaching positions were submitted to the federation earlier this week.

"Tentatively, the Flying Eagles should resume in July while Golden Eaglets hit the camp in September ahead of their age grade competitions. The source said.

He added, "This was done such that they can have more time to prepare for the championships."

The NFF confirmed that appointments of coaches will be made public only after the selected candidates are ratified by its Executive Board.

As of February 2026, there is no scheduled WAFU B U-20 Championship for this year. The regional competition typically serves as a qualifying tournament for the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

However, the U-20 AFCON follows a biennial cycle. The most recent qualifying tournament in the WAFU B zone took place in May 2025, producing representatives for the FIFA U20 World Cup.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the next U-20 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments after 2025 are scheduled for 2027, 2029 and 2031, effectively ruling out a 2026 edition.

Meanwhile, the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations will be staged in Morocco from April 25 to May 15, 2026. The tournament, organised by CAF, will feature 16 teams and also serve as a qualifying pathway to the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Nigeria, five-time U-17 world champions, failed to qualify for the 2026 edition.

The teams confirmed so far for the tournament include:

Morocco (hosts)

Senegal

Mali

Guinea-Bissau

Ivory Coast

Ghana

Uganda

Tanzania

Ethiopia

South Africa

Angola

Mozambique

Four qualification slots remain to be decided, with some zonal competitions yet to conclude or be officially confirmed.

As of February, the WAFU B competition calendar has not been released, leaving uncertainty over the date for the U-17 boys’ regional championship this year.

With coaching appointments pending and regional schedules still unfolding, Nigeria’s youth football programme enters a crucial period of planning and restructuring ahead of the next continental cycle.