West African giants Nigeria and Ghana have discovered their group stage opponents ahead of the WAFU B U-17 tournament slated for later this month, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets now know the path they must take if they are to return to the continental stage.
The five-time world champions have been drawn alongside Burkina Faso and Benin Republic in Group B of the WAFU B U-17 Championship, which begins on September 20 in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
The draw, conducted on Thursday, placed hosts Côte d’Ivoire in Group A alongside Ghana, Niger Republic and Togo. The two groups will battle for spots at next year’s Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, which also serves as the gateway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Nigeria missed out on the last edition of the continental finals, a painful blow for a nation with unrivalled pedigree at youth level. This year’s qualifiers therefore carry added weight for Manu Garba’s side.
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Preparation has been intensive. The Eaglets have played 12 warm-up games, winning 10, drawing once and losing only once. Their most recent outing was a commanding 3-0 victory over Ejigbo City on Wednesday.
Burkina Faso, who share the group with Nigeria, are no strangers to upsetting the region’s powerhouses, while Benin Republic will see an opportunity in a three-team group to push for qualification. It means every fixture in Group B will be decisive, leaving little room for slip-ups.
The Golden Eaglets remain the most successful U-17 team in the world, with five World Cup triumphs and two African titles.
The competition runs from September 20 to October 3 in Yamoussoukro. Only the two finalists from WAFU Zone B will move on to the 2025 U-17 AFCON.