Flying Eagles of Nigeria have been drawn into a daunting group at the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations(AFCON), as they will battle Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco in what has been labelled the “Group of Death.”
The draw, conducted at the CAF headquarters in Egypt on Thursday, placed the seven-time champions in Group B of the tournament, which will be hosted in Côte d’Ivoire from April 26 to May 18.
Flying Eagles, who finished third at the last edition in Egypt, will need a strong start to navigate a challenging group. They defeated host nation Egypt 1-0 in the group stage two years ago and will aim for another successful outing.
Former Malian international Adama Coulibaly, who assisted in conducting the draw, admitted that Nigeria’s group will be the toughest.
“There is no doubt that the toughest group is Group B, which has Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco,” Coulibaly said.
In other U20 AFCON groupings, hosts Côte d’Ivoire will face DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, and a yet-to-be-determined Central African representative in Group A. Defending champions Senegal will lead Group C alongside Zambia and first-time participants Kenya and Sierra Leone.
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The U20 AFCON format will see the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed finishers, advance to the quarter-finals.
Full U20 AFCON 2025 Group Stage Draw
Group A:Côte d’Ivoire, UNNIFAC (Central Africa representative), DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania
Group B:Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Morocco
Group C:Senegal, Zambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone
Meanwhile, earlier in the week Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu had selected 30 players, a mix of home-based talents for a two-match friendly tour against Egypt’s U20 team later this month. Some of the notable names in the squad include Sporting Lagos goalkeeper Ifeanyi Harcourt, Bayelsa United defender Daniel Bameyi, El-Kanemi Warriors midfielder Alabi Sulaiman Jojo, and Enyimba forward Clinton Japhet.
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The seven-time African champions will take on Egypt in back-to-back friendly matches scheduled for February 25 and 27 in Cairo. These matches will serve as key preparatory fixtures ahead of the continental tournament in Côte d’Ivoire, where Nigeria will aim to secure an eighth U20 AFCON title.
Source: The Athletic NG
