Related Post
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will have to navigate a more challenging path at the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed Egypt as the new host nation, Footynaija.com reports.
The tournament was initially set to take place in Côte d’Ivoire, but the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) and government informed CAF that they could no longer organize the competition due to unforeseen circumstances. Egypt, having previously submitted a bid, have now been granted hosting rights.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT: CAF awards the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025 hosting rights to Egypt.
— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) March 27, 2025
️ The opening match of the #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 2025 will be played on Sunday, 27 April 2025 and the Final on 18 May 2025.
https://t.co/YkWdxiuM5W pic.twitter.com/shGGTpNq5l
With the Young Pharaohs now playing on home soil, Nigeria’s task in Group B has become even more difficult.
The Flying Eagles will face Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco — a group packed with strong teams vying for a place in the knockout rounds.
Originally, Nigeria was set to kick off their campaign against Egypt on April 30 in Côte d’Ivoire, but with the change in host nation, CAF will have to ratify new venues and schedules. The tournament will now begin on April 27, 2025, with the final set for May 18, 2025.
The Flying Eagles, currently in a training camp in Katsina, will need to adjust their preparations to suit the North African conditions.
A semi-final finish guarantees qualification for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile later this year, and as seven-time U20 AFCON champions, Nigeria remains determined to rise to the challenge despite the latest twist.
