Nigeria’s U20 national team, the Flying Eagles, have resumed camping in Abuja as they prepare for two crucial friendly matches against Egypt. The friendlies are scheduled for February 25 and 27 in Cairo, Egypt, as part of their build-up to the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire, which will run from April 26 to May 18.
In a statement on Tuesday, Team Administrator Aliyu Ibrahim announced that Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu had invited 30 players to camp for the upcoming games. The squad features a mix of home-based talents from various clubs, reflecting the technical crew’s intent to assemble a formidable team for the continental challenge.
The AFCON tournament also serves as a qualifier for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, set to take place from September 27 to October 19, 2025. The four top-placed teams from the tournament will represent Africa at the global event.
The Flying Eagles, one of Africa’s most successful youth teams, have previously won the U20 AFCON seven times—in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, and 2015. Most recently, they claimed the WAFU-B U20 Championship in Lome, Togo, in October 2024.
Invited Players
The list of invited players includes three goalkeepers, 10 defenders, eight midfielders, and nine forwards, drawn from various clubs and academies across Nigeria.
Goalkeepers:
- Ifeanyi Harcourt (Sporting Lagos)
- Light Emerenonye (Diamond Academy)
- Abubakar Rufai (Mavlon FC)
Defenders:
- Adamu Maigari (El-Kanemi Warriors)
- Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United)
- Kenneth Igbokwe (Enugu Rangers)
- Haruna Aliyu (Wikki Tourists)
- Musa Ademu (Wireless FC)
- Shamsudeen Muhammad (Mavlon FC)
- Ibrahim Abdullahi
- Shamsudeen Ishaq (Grassrunner FC)
- Steven Jolomi (Mavlon FC)
Midfielders:
- Raphael Oyebanji (Shuffle Select FC)
- Mohammed Ibrahim (Niger Tornadoes)
- Kizito Opara (Campus Academy)
- Alabi Sulaiman Jojo (El-Kanemi Warriors)
- Sulaiman Abubakar (Diamond Academy)
- Shafiu Adamu (Wikki Tourists)
- Cletus Simon (Mavlon FC)
Forwards:
- Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire Academy)
- Clinton Japhet (Enyimba FC)
- Matthew Chukwusa (Morack Academy)
- Nasiru Salihu (El-Kanemi Warriors)
- Divine Olisha (Fostar Academy)
- Jerry Salami (Aspire Academy)
- Oluwaseyi Akinfenwa (Real Sapphire Academy)
- Shola Adelami (Ikorodu City)
- Abdulrahaman Ishaq (Sport Supply Academy)
- Ezekiel Anthony (Aspire Academy)
- Sodiq Olalekan Adewunmi (Jaguar Sports FC)
Looking Ahead
The Flying Eagles’ coaching team is optimistic about the team’s chances in the upcoming competition. The friendlies against Egypt will provide a crucial test and allow the coaching crew to assess the team’s readiness ahead of the AFCON tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
With a rich history in youth competitions and a solid preparatory plan in place, the Flying Eagles aim to secure a top-four finish at the AFCON and book their spot at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile later this year.
