Under-20 AFCON: Flying Eagles Of Nigeria Face New Challenge in Group B

The Flying Eagles of Nigeria are set to embark on their quest for an impressive eighth continental title as they prepare to compete in the 2025 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

In the group-stage draw conducted in Cairo, Egypt, the Flying Eagles have been placed in Group B alongside Tunisia, Kenya, and Morocco.

This year’s tournament, marking the 18th edition of the Under-20 AFCON, is scheduled to run from April 27 to May 18, bringing together a total of 13 national teams divided into three groups.

Group A consists of five teams, while Groups B and C will feature four teams each. The competition format allows the top two teams from each group, as well as the two best third-placed teams, to advance to the quarter-finals.

The draw also saw hosts Egypt, who hold a record of three AFCON titles, automatically given the position of A1. Defending champions Senegal were seeded into position C1, and seven-time record holders Flying Eagles secured the placement of B1.

Note that the draw had to be redone after Côte d’Ivoire’s withdrawal as the original host country. The new draw saw Egypt and South Africa, who were initially in Nigeria’s group, move to Group A. They will now compete alongside Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.

For the Flying Eagles, the path to glory won’t be easy, as they will face stiff competition from their two North African counterparts, Tunisia and Morocco, in addition to East African debutants Kenya.

In Group C, title holders Senegal headline a group that includes the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and four-time champions Ghana.

Naija News has recently reported that the Flying Eagles have returned to Abuja after a focused three-week training camp in Katsina.

They are scheduled to travel to Egypt later this week for an eight-day final phase of preparation, during which they will hone their strategies and team cohesion ahead of their opening match.

This edition of the Under-20 AFCON carries heightened significance, as the top four semi-finalists will earn qualification for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, which is set to take place in Chile from September 27 to October 19.