Flying Eagles Maintain Unbeaten Pre-Tournament Run

Nigeria’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, have continued to build confidence ahead of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-20 Boys Championship, remaining unbeaten in a series of preparatory matches in Abuja.

The seven-time African champions have played three friendly games since resuming camp, recording two convincing victories and a draw while scoring nine goals and keeping a perfect defensive record.

The Flying Eagles opened their warm-up campaign with a commanding 4-0 win over SiaOne Football Academy on Tuesday. They followed up with an even more impressive display on Wednesday, thrashing AAFC 5-0 to underline their attacking strength.

Their winning streak was halted on Thursday when they were held to a goalless draw by Galadima FC in a tightly contested encounter. Despite the stalemate, the team extended its unbeaten run and maintained its defensive solidity.

Forward Abdul Muiz Adeleke has emerged as one of the standout performers during the preparations. The young striker has netted four goals in three matches, highlighting his growing influence in the team’s attack as the tournament approaches.

Preparations for the regional competition began on May 16 with the opening of camp in Abuja. Head coach Abdu Maikaba invited a provisional squad of 35 players, including seven foreign-based prospects, as he works to assemble a strong team capable of challenging for honours.

The 2026 WAFU Zone B U-20 Boys Championship will take place in Côte d’Ivoire from July 26 to August 9 and will serve as a qualifying tournament for the next U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria will battle hosts Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, Togo and Benin Republic for regional supremacy in what promises to be a highly competitive championship.

With less than two months remaining before the tournament begins, the Flying Eagles appear to be gathering momentum as they pursue both regional glory and a place at the continental showpiece.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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