Following their draw into the same group as Burkina Faso for the U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifying tournament in Ghana next month, defending champions Nigeria have been dealt a challenging route to the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations finals, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Two years ago in Ghana, Nigeria won the WAFU B U17 AFCON title after defeating Burkina Faso 2-1 in the regional final.
The Golden Eaglets, who took first place in the regional tournament in 2022, will compete against Niger and Togo in Group B, which takes place from May 15–28.
Those hosting In a competitive division that will be played in Accra, Ghana is placed in Group A with Cote d'Ivoire and Benin.
Legends of Ivorian football from the 1970s, Kobenan Kouman and Die Foneye, performed the draw on Friday at the Ivorian FA offices in Abidjan.
To retain their title, they will have to defeat some well-known opponents, though, and some thrilling matches should be anticipated given that Burkina Faso placed third in the most recent TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Groups:
Group A: Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin Group B: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Niger.
By Olaleye Oluwadamilola