Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will kick off their WAFU-B U-17 Championship campaign this evening in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, with a Group B clash against Benin Republic at the Stade du Lycée Scientifique.
The five-time world champions face a Benin side that already lost 0-1 to Burkina Faso in Sunday’s opening fixture. The Beninoise must avoid another defeat to keep their hopes of progressing alive.
For the Coach Manu Garba-led Eaglets, victory is vital to strengthen their chances of advancing, especially with a decisive encounter against Burkina Faso still ahead in their final group game.
The WAFU-B tournament doubles as the qualifier for the 2025 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, which in turn will determine Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
In Group A, hosts Côte d’Ivoire began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Niger Republic, while Togo and Ghana settled for a 1-1 draw as the competition got underway over the weekend.