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Egypt have reportedly called off its scheduled U20 friendly matches against Nigeria’s Flying Eagles following the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations draw, which placed both nations in the same group, Soccernet.football understands.
The Flying Eagles were set to face Egypt in a two-legged encounter in Cairo, with the first match slated for February 25 and the return fixture on February 27.
However, with both teams now set to meet in the group stage of the tournament, the Egypt Football Association has decided to cancel the friendlies, as per reports in the local media.
Nigeria, WAFU B champions, have been drawn into a tough Group B alongside former champions Egypt and Morocco, as well as South Africa.
We win!
— The NFF (@thenff) October 30, 2024
Fulltime in Lome
Ghana 1-2 Nigeria
Kparobo Arierhi’s two goals in the final hands Nigeria the WAFU B U20 title.#SoarFlyingEagles pic.twitter.com/vGu1UYzc6r
Meanwhile, hosts Côte d’Ivoire will compete in Group A against DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, and a second UNIFFAC representative. Group C features defending champions Senegal, along with Zambia, Kenya, and Sierra Leone.
With the warm-up matches against Egypt now scrapped, the Nigeria Football Federation is working to secure an alternative friendly against a non-group opponent in preparation for the tournament in Ivory Coast.
The foreign-based players invited for the Egypt friendlies have been instructed not to travel, while head coach Aliyu Zubairu has assembled a squad of 30 home-based players for a training camp ahead of the competition.
The top four teams at the U20 AFCON will qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile later this year.
