Nigeria’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, will now face Tunisia, Kenya, and Morocco in Group B of the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (AFCON).
This follows a redraw prompted by the late withdrawal of Côte d’Ivoire as tournament host.
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The competition, now to be held in Egypt from 27 April to 18 May, promises to be one of the most fiercely contested editions in recent memory.
The new draw was conducted at the Egypt Football Association headquarters in Cairo on Sunday, officially confirming Egypt as the new host country.
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This followed the Ivorian Football Federation’s (FIF) exit due to logistical challenges, prompting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to reshuffle the tournament’s format and groups.
Egypt, now placed in Group A, will host the tournament alongside Zambia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.
Senegal, the defending champions, lead Group C, where they will battle the Central African Republic, DR Congo, and Ghana.
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New group, new challenge
Originally scheduled to face South Africa and Egypt in the previous group configuration, Nigeria now finds itself pitted against two North African powerhouses—Tunisia and Morocco—and East Africa’s emerging force, Kenya.
All four teams will battle for two automatic available slots in the quarter-finals.
The adjustment increases the level of competition Nigeria must overcome.
Morocco and Tunisia have long-standing reputations for technical and disciplined football, while Kenya is building a promising youth program.
It sets the stage for a highly competitive group stage.
Preparation and expectations
The Flying Eagles, seven-time champions of the U-20 AFCON and two-time runners-up at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, recently concluded a three-week training camp in Katsina and are back in Abuja.
They are expected to depart for Egypt later this week to begin final preparations, including acclimatisation to Egypt’s weather conditions.
The tournament also doubles as the African qualifier for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Chile from 27 September to 19 October.
Only the four semi-finalists will represent Africa on the global stage.
READ ALSO:U-20 AFCON: Flying Eagles face tougher test as Egypt emerges as new hosts
Despite the change in host nation and group reshuffling, Nigeria’s ambitions remain clear—reach the semi-finals and qualify for the World Cup.
But the journey now comes with the added challenge of facing two of Africa’s most tactically astute teams in unfamiliar territory.
Group Overview
Group A: Egypt, Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania
Group B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Morocco
Group C: Senegal, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Ghana
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