Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will battle six West African rivals for regional supremacy and the lone qualification ticket to the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations when the WAFU B U-17 qualifiers begin in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Friday.
Hosts Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Niger and Togo make up the seven-team field for the tournament, which runs from October 10 to 23.
The Golden Eaglets will be determined to negotiate the competitive regional tournament successfully and secure the WAFU B ticket that would keep their continental ambitions alive.
Home advantage could give Burkina Faso an early edge, while Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are expected to provide serious competition in the race for qualification. Benin, Niger and Togo will also be seeking to upset the established order.
Nigeria will be aiming for a strong opening and consistent performances throughout the competition as the teams battle for the zone’s sole ticket to the next Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.
The two-week tournament will provide the Eaglets with another opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s reputation as one of Africa’s leading nations in youth football.
For Nigeria, success in Ouagadougou would not only deliver regional honours but also secure a place on the continental stage, where the young side will hope to continue the country’s proud tradition of competing at the highest level of African youth football.
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