Golden Eaglets: 25 players chasing Nigeria’s return to U-17 AFCON

The Nigeria Football Federation has named a 25-player Golden Eaglets squad for the WAFU-B U17 Championship in Burkina Faso, with the young side aiming to end Nigeria’s recent absence from the continental tournament.

Head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere selected the squad after a training camp in Abuja that featured 62 players competing for places in the final team.

The final list comprises three goalkeepers, seven defenders, eight midfielders and seven forwards, all of whom are Nigeria-based players yet to begin professional careers.

The 25-man squad

The goalkeepers are Mutiu Adenle, Abdulfatai Seriki and Richard Oguama.

The defenders are Chinedu Nchoje, Goodness Ukwubile, Victor Ogbonna, Daniel Dickson, Chinonso Umenozie, Jamiu Issa and Daniel Agunzi.

The midfielders are Israel Irabor, Adewolu Lukman, Izuchukwu Ogboji, Sochima Emeka, Michael Ekundayo, Al-Ameen Adegboya, Saeed Hussaini and Abubakar Abdulrasaq.

The forwards are Godswill Usoro, Daniel Lawrence, Chiedozie Igboenyobe, Faruq Azeez, David Fagbamila, Mubarak Fasiu and Abiodun John.

A return to the continental stage

The Golden Eaglets will leave Nigeria for Ouagadougou on Tuesday as they continue preparations for the competition, which begins on October 10.

The WAFU-B U17 Championship doubles as Nigeria’s route to next year’s U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, making the regional tournament crucial to the team’s wider ambitions.

Nigeria has been drawn in Group B alongside Niger and Ivory Coast, with the top two teams progressing to the semi-finals.

Qualification for the final would guarantee the Eaglets a place at the U17 AFCON, meaning the team must reach the championship match to secure its continental return.

Ending a worrying run

The Eaglets have won the WAFU-B U17 Championship twice but finished with a bronze medal at last year’s edition.

That result was not enough to secure a place at the 2026 U17 AFCON, extending Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the continental competition to two consecutive editions.

It is only the second time in Nigeria’s history that the country has missed two successive editions of the U17 AFCON, placing added significance on the 25 players selected for the Burkina Faso tournament.

For Uwejamomere and his squad, the immediate task is to navigate Group B successfully and secure the result needed to restore Nigeria’s presence among Africa’s leading youth teams.

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