Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have drawn Egypt, South Africa and Morocco in the Group B of the African Cup of Nations for the U-20.
The seven-time AFCON champions have been handed a tough path at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations after being drawn in a challenging Group B alongside Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco.
The draw, conducted on Thursday, has placed the Flying Eagles in what many are calling the tournament’s group of death, featuring three former champions.
Morocco, winners of the 1997 edition, and Egypt, three-time champions (1991, 2003, 2013), bring plenty of pedigree to the group.
Meanwhile, South Africa, though yet to lift the U-20 AFCON trophy, finished as runners-up in 1997 and remain a competitive force at this level.
Despite the tough opposition, Nigeria will back themselves to progress from the group.
As the most successful team in U-20 AFCON history with seven titles, the Flying Eagles have a strong reputation in youth football.
However, they have not won the competition since 2015 and will be eager to reclaim continental glory.
Nigeria recently claimed the WAFU B regional title, defeating fierce rivals Ghana 3-1 in the final. That triumph has bolstered confidence in the squad ahead of their latest AFCON campaign.
In an interesting twist, Nigeria will get an early opportunity to test their strength against Egypt, with two scheduled friendly matches later this month.
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These games will offer the Flying Eagles, a valuable chance to assess their opponents before the tournament kicks off.
Elsewhere in the draw, Group A features hosts Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Tanzania, Ghana, and a yet-to-be-identified team from the UNIFAC region, making it the only group with five teams.
Meanwhile, defending champions Senegal have been placed in Group C, where they will face 2017 winners Zambia, along with debutants Sierra Leone and Kenya.
The 2025 U-20 AFCON is set to take place from April 26 to May 18, serving not only as a battle for continental supremacy, but also as the qualification route for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
The four semi-finalists will automatically secure their spots at the global tournament
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With a tough group ahead, Nigeria will need to be at their best to navigate their way to the knock-out rounds and push for their first U-20 AFCON title in a decade.