The Flying Eagles coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has unveiled a 24-man squad for the upcoming 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled to hold in Egypt from April 27 to May 18. The squad features a blend of home-based and foreign-based players who have been training intensively in Abuja ahead of the tournament.
Key players named include first-choice goalkeeper Ifeanyi Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos), defender and captain Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United), midfielder Sulaiman Alabi (El-Kanemi Warriors), and forward Kparobo Nathaniel Arierhi (Lillestrom SK, Norway). Notable foreign-based talents in the squad are Emmanuel Chukwu and Precious Benjamin, both from German club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
The squad composition consists of three goalkeepers, five defenders, six midfielders, and ten forwards. Other players include Rufai Abubakar (Mavlon FC), Soliu Ajia Yakub (FK Novi Pazar, Serbia), Adamu Maigari (El-Kanemi Warriors), Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos), Chigozie Michael Ihejiofor (Katsina United), Caleb Ochedikwu (NK Uljanik Pula, Croatia), Israel Isaac Ayuma (NK Istra, Croatia), Simon Cletus (Mavlon FC), Auwal Ibrahim (Akwa United), Shafiu Duguri (Wikki Tourists), Ezekiel Anthony Kpangu (Inspire FC), Divine Oliseh (Forster Academy), Clinton Jephta (Enyimba FC), Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire FC), Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC), Theophilus Mendos Rickson (Niger Tornadoes), Matthew Kingsley (Kings FC), and Yushau Armiyau (Katsina United).
The Flying Eagles, seven-time African champions and two-time FIFA U-20 World Cup runners-up, will depart Nigeria on Sunday for Cairo. They will play warm-up matches in Egypt before their group opener against Tunisia on May 1, followed by games against Morocco on May 4 and Kenya on May 7. Nigeria is drawn in Group B alongside Tunisia, Morocco, and Kenya. The top four teams from the tournament will qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year.
