Nigeria’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, have officially settled in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, ahead of the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship, as head coach Abdu Maikaba announced a 23-player squad charged with defending the regional crown.
The seven-time African champions landed in Abidjan on Monday before completing the journey by road to Yamoussoukro, where the team is lodged at the Trio Corridor Hotel ahead of the tournament.
Nigeria opens its title defence with a blockbuster Group B clash against eternal rivals Ghana’s Black Satellites on Monday at the Lycée Scientifique Stadium.
The fixture is expected to be one of the biggest attractions of the championship, renewing one of African youth football’s fiercest rivalries.
The Flying Eagles head into the encounter with fond memories, having defeated Ghana 2-1 in the final of the previous edition in Lomé to successfully lift the WAFU B title.
Maikaba’s side will then face hosts Togo’s Sparrow Hawks on Thursday before wrapping up their group-stage campaign against Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions on Sunday, August 2, with a place in the knockout stage firmly in sight.
The 23-man squad blends players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), grassroots academies and overseas clubs, highlighting the country’s growing pool of emerging talents.
Beyond defending their regional title, the Flying Eagles will also use the tournament as a platform to strengthen the squad ahead of future continental competitions.
Flying Eagles 23-Man Squad
Goalkeepers: Lawani Clinton (Sporting Lagos), Olayemi Ayinla (Warri Wolves)
Defenders: Wahab Musa (FC Malaga), Timilehin Agbonjimi (FC Ablaze), Odinaka Alfred (Aseami Academy), Somto Nnoli (Akwa United), Samson Joshua (Galadima FC), Ebrima Manneh (Sporting Supreme), Abdoulaye Agbeloye (Grassrunner FC), Habila Simeon (Golden Boot Soccer Academy)
Midfielders: Imrana Muhammad (Deportivo Alavés), Saifullahi Yusuf (Wikki Tourists), Israel Samuel (Abia Warriors), Sani Shuaibu (Wikki Tourists), Oraro Lucky (Warri Wolves), Rufai Abubakar (NK Istra 1961), Auwal Muhammad (Bichi First), Jamilu Yusuf (Junior Danburan)
Forwards: Adamu Hussaini (Barau FC), Abdulmuiz Adeleke (Sporting Supreme), Abdullahi Ele (JMD FC), Gift Subi (P Sport Academy), Aminu Yusuf (Kano Pillars).
