Nigeria’s U20 head coach, Aliyu Zubairu, remains undaunted by the difficult group draw for the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The Flying Eagles have been placed in Group B alongside Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa, all formidable opponents, but Zubairu views this as a great test for his team.
The draw, conducted on Thursday, placed Nigeria—record seven-time U20 AFCON champions—against Egypt, a four-time champion, Morocco, the 1997 winners, and South Africa, who secured bronze in 2019 after defeating Nigeria on penalties.
Despite the high-caliber competition, Zubairu remains confident about Nigeria’s prospects in the tournament.
“It’s a strong group, but we embrace the challenge,” he told the NFF. “If a team truly wants to qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup, they must be prepared to face the best. Playing against Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa at this stage is an opportunity to prove ourselves.”
Photo by Imago
As part of their preparation, Zubairu has invited 30 players for two friendly matches against Egypt U20 on February 25 and 27 in Cairo. The U20 AFCON will take place from April 26 to May 18 in Côte d’Ivoire.
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The 2025 U20 AFCON features three groups. Group A includes hosts Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, and a yet-to-qualify UNIFFAC team. Group C consists of defending champions Senegal, Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Kenya. With three former champions in Nigeria’s group, many have labeled it the “group of death,” but Zubairu rejects this notion.
“We need to stop calling it a ‘group of death,’” he said. “There are no easy games in African football anymore. What matters is preparation—any well-prepared team can pull off surprises.”
Zubairu’s confidence is backed by a stellar 2024 season. He led El-Kanemi Warriors to promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and guided them to their first Federation Cup victory in 32 years with a 2-0 win over Abia Warriors. These achievements earned him the role of Flying Eagles head coach, a position he has managed alongside his club duties.
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Under his leadership, Nigeria’s U20 team won the WAFU B Tournament, defeating arch-rivals Ghana 2-1 in the final. Now, Zubairu has his sights set on winning the U20 AFCON title in Côte d’Ivoire, a victory that would mark the pinnacle of his coaching career.
Source: The Athletic NG
