Nigeria Players Abroad
Golden Eaglets to learn WAFU B U-17 Championship opponents on Thursday
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will discover their group-stage opponents for the 2026 WAFU B U-17 Championship when the tournament draw is held on Thursday.
The ceremony will take place at Stade du 04 Aout in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with the competing teams set to be placed into their respective groups ahead of the tournament.
The draw for the second edition of the WAFU B U-17 Girls’ Cup will also be conducted at the same venue on Thursday.
Nigeria are among the seven countries scheduled to take part in the girls’ competition. They will be joined by Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, hosts Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Niger Republic.
The draw represents an important step in the preparations for both regional tournaments, with the men’s competition also carrying significance beyond the WAFU zone.
Golden Eaglets continue preparations
The Golden Eaglets are stepping up their preparations in Abuja as they work towards the start of the championship.
Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s team played two friendly matches last weekend as part of its build-up programme. The matches were against Simonben Academy of Kaduna and Galadima FC.
Those fixtures formed part of the squad’s preparations before the team travels for the regional competition. The coaching staff will use the group-stage draw to assess the challenge facing Nigeria in Burkina Faso.
The WAFU B U-17 Championship will also act as a qualifying tournament for the 2027 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations. Teams will therefore be competing not only for regional success but also for the opportunity to progress towards the continental tournament.
Burkina Faso will host the championship from 4 to 17 October 2026.
The Golden Eaglets remain in training in Abuja as they prepare for the competition and await confirmation of their group opponents on Thursday. The result of the draw will provide a clearer outline of Nigeria’s route through the tournament and the matches they will face in the group stage.
The WAFU B U-17 Girls’ Cup draw will be staged alongside the men’s championship draw at Stade du 04 Aout, bringing together the participating nations for the next stage of preparations for both competitions.
By Adeboye Amosu
