Nigeria’s U20 national men’s team, the Flying Eagles, have officially touched down in Cairo, Egypt, as they intensify preparations for the highly anticipated 17th edition of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to kick off this weekend.

In an official statement released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), it was confirmed that the team arrived safely at the Cairo International Airport on Sunday evening aboard an Egypt Air flight from Lagos. The travelling squad consists of 24 players and nine officials, all under the leadership of the team’s head coach, Aliyu Zubairu.

The team is scheduled to hold their first training session on Monday evening, as they begin final fine-tuning of tactics, strategy, and match fitness ahead of their crucial Group B opener later in the week. The Flying Eagles will face hosts Egypt in an international friendly match on Tuesday evening at 5pm local time (4pm in Nigeria). This fixture is designed to serve as both a morale booster and a tactical rehearsal before the start of the tournament.

The team’s campaign at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations will officially begin on Thursday when they take on Tunisia at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo. The competition is slated to run from April 27 to May 18, 2025, featuring some of the continent’s most promising young talents.

Nigeria enters the tournament as the most successful side in its history, having lifted the coveted trophy a record seven times. Coach Aliyu Zubairu has expressed optimism about the current squad’s abilities and their chances in Egypt, stating that the players are determined, well-prepared, and eager to make the country proud once again.

He noted, “The boys have trained hard, shown hunger and resilience throughout the preparatory phase. We’re excited to be here in Egypt, and we’ll give it everything to make Nigerians proud by aiming for that eighth title.”

Expectations remain high as fans back home closely follow the team’s progress, with hopes of yet another historic triumph to add to Nigeria’s rich legacy in African youth football.