Nigeria U20 Drawn In Tough Group B At WAFU B U-20 Championship

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria's Under-20 team, the Flying Eagles, have been drawn in a difficult Group B at the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship in Cote d'Ivoire, according to OwnGoalNigeria.com. The draw pits the defending champions against regional rival Ghana, emerging youth football power Burkina Faso and Togo. Hosts Cote d'Ivoire were placed in Group A alongside Niger Republic and Benin Republic, the publication reported. All teams are competing for qualification to the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, which Ghana will host. Nigeria enter the tournament as back-to-back champions, having won the last two editions, OwnGoalNigeria.com said. Coach Abdullahi Maikaba, whose predecessors Ladan Bosso and Aliyu Zubairu each won the title, has completed the squad's preparations in Abuja. His mandate is to secure the team's passage to the U20 AFCON. ## WAFU B U-20 Championship: Group B pitfalls for defending champions The tournament runs from 26 June to 2 August 2026. A place in the biennial U20 AFCON is the prize for the region's leading youth sides. **Global/Local Angle:** The draw shapes Nigeria's path at the continent's flagship youth tournament, a key pipeline for future Super Eagles talent, underlining West Africa's deepening investment in youth development. **Sources** - https://owngoalnigeria.com/2026/07/15/wafu-b-nigeria-u20-land-in-group-of-death/ *Source Reporters corrects errors promptly. Report corrections to corrections@sourcereporters.com.*