Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been drawn against Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo in Group B of the 2026 WAFU B U20 Championship, the qualifying tournament for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The draw, conducted on Wednesday, placed hosts and defending champions Côte d’Ivoire in Group A alongside Niger and Benin Republic, while Nigeria will battle their West African rivals in a highly competitive Group B.
The fixture sets up another exciting clash between the Flying Eagles and Ghana’s Black Satellites, renewing one of the region’s fiercest youth football rivalries.
Burkina Faso and Togo complete the group, with the teams competing for qualification to the 2027 U20 AFCON, which will be hosted by Ghana.
The continental championship will feature 12 teams, with the four semi-finalists earning qualification for the FIFA U20 World Cup.
Nigeria heads into the tournament as one of the competition’s most successful sides. The Flying Eagles reached the final of the inaugural edition in 2018, won their maiden WAFU B U20 Championship title in 2022, and successfully defended it in 2024.
At the 2022 WAFU B U20 Championship in Niamey, Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-0 in the group stage before overcoming Côte d’Ivoire in the semi-finals and beating Benin Republic 3-1 in the final to lift the trophy.
The Flying Eagles retained the title in 2024 after defeating Ghana 2-1 in the final in Lomé, with Kparobo Arierhi scoring both first-half goals.
Nigeria narrowly missed another WAFU B U20 Championship title at the last edition after losing 1-0 to hosts Côte d’Ivoire in the final following a stoppage-time goal.
The Flying Eagles will now begin preparations for the regional championship as they target another WAFU B U20 Championship title and qualification for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations.
