Nigeria Drawn With Ghana For 2026 WAFU B U20 Championship
Nigeria's Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group B of the 2026 WAFU B U20 Championship, where they will face Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Togo in the regional tournament that serves as the qualifier for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The draw, held on Wednesday, placed defending champions and hosts Côte d'Ivoire in Group A alongside Niger and Benin Republic, while Nigeria headlined the second group.
The group stage will renew the long-standing youth football rivalry between Nigeria's Flying Eagles and Ghana's Black Satellites. Burkina Faso and Togo complete the group, with teams competing for places at the 2027 U20 AFCON, which Ghana will host.
The continental championship will feature 12 teams, and the four semi-finalists will qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup.
Nigeria enters the competition with an impressive record in the WAFU B tournament. The Flying Eagles finished runners-up in the inaugural edition in 2018 before winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2024.
In 2022, Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-0 in the group stage, overcame Côte d'Ivoire in the semi-finals, and beat Benin Republic 3-1 in the final.
Two years later, they successfully defended their title by defeating Ghana 2-1 in the final, with Kparobo Arierhi scoring both goals.
The Flying Eagles narrowly missed a third consecutive title at the most recent edition, losing 1-0 to hosts Côte d'Ivoire after conceding a stoppage-time goal in the final.
Nigeria will now begin preparations for the tournament as they aim to reclaim the WAFU B crown and secure qualification for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations.
The draw, held on Wednesday, placed defending champions and hosts Côte d'Ivoire in Group A alongside Niger and Benin Republic, while Nigeria headlined the second group.
The group stage will renew the long-standing youth football rivalry between Nigeria's Flying Eagles and Ghana's Black Satellites. Burkina Faso and Togo complete the group, with teams competing for places at the 2027 U20 AFCON, which Ghana will host.
The continental championship will feature 12 teams, and the four semi-finalists will qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup.
Nigeria enters the competition with an impressive record in the WAFU B tournament. The Flying Eagles finished runners-up in the inaugural edition in 2018 before winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2024.
In 2022, Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-0 in the group stage, overcame Côte d'Ivoire in the semi-finals, and beat Benin Republic 3-1 in the final.
Two years later, they successfully defended their title by defeating Ghana 2-1 in the final, with Kparobo Arierhi scoring both goals.
The Flying Eagles narrowly missed a third consecutive title at the most recent edition, losing 1-0 to hosts Côte d'Ivoire after conceding a stoppage-time goal in the final.
Nigeria will now begin preparations for the tournament as they aim to reclaim the WAFU B crown and secure qualification for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations.
