Nigeria will battle six West African rivals for regional supremacy and a place at the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations when the WAFU B U-17 AFCON qualifiers begin in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Friday.
The seven-team tournament, which runs from October 10 to 23, will feature hosts Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Niger, Togo and Nigeria.
The Golden Eaglets will be hoping to navigate the competitive regional field and secure the WAFU B qualification ticket that would keep their continental ambitions alive.
Hosts Burkina Faso will have the advantage of home support, while Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are also expected to provide strong competition in the race for the zone’s qualification ticket.
Nigeria will be aiming to make a positive start to the tournament and build momentum as the teams compete for regional honours in Ouagadougou.
The qualifiers are expected to run for two weeks, with the eventual winner earning the right to represent the WAFU B zone at the next Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.
For the Eaglets, the tournament presents an opportunity to secure continental qualification and maintain Nigeria’s long-standing presence among the leading nations in African youth football.
