Defending champions, the Flying Eagles of Nigeria, have arrived in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, ahead of the 2026 West Africa Football Union (WAFU) B U-20 Championship.
Naija News gathered that the Flying Eagles’ squad and officials departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday before travelling on to Yamoussoukro, where the regional competition will be staged.
Abdu Maikaba’s side begin the defence of their title with a blockbuster Group B clash against old rivals Ghana’s Black Satellites on 27 July at the Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro. They will then take on Togo’s Junior Sparrow Hawks three days later before rounding off the group phase against Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions on 2 August at the same venue.
The championship also doubles as the qualifying tournament for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, with the competing teams battling for places at the continental finals to be hosted by Ghana.
Nigeria will be aiming for another successful campaign after lifting the WAFU B U-20 crown last time out. Note that the Flying Eagles of Nigeria are seven-time African champions at U-20 level (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, and 2015), the most successful youth side on the continent.
They are also the most consistent African representatives at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, with a record 14 appearances and two final appearances in 1989 and 2005.
