The Nigeria U17 national team, the Golden Eaglets, will be aiming to defend their WAFU B U-17 title (or regional U-17 championship) when the tournament kicks off in Accra, Ghana on 15th May 2024.
The draw for the competition was held on Friday at the WAFU Zone B headquarters, placing Nigeria in Group B alongside Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, and Togo.
Nigeria, a powerhouse in African youth football, will have another shot at glory at the competition next month.
Meanwhile, host nation Ghana will face off against Cote d'Ivoire and Benin in Group A.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals.
This tournament serves a dual purpose. Not only will teams be vying for the coveted WAFU B U17 Championship trophy, but they will also be competing for a spot in the upcoming U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has yet to announce the host nation for the continental tournament.
Golden Eaglets look to repeat success
The upcoming competition holds particular significance for Nigeria, who emerged victorious at the last edition of the WAFU B U-17 Championship.
The final, played at the Robert Champroux Stadium in Cote d'Ivoire, saw a thrilling encounter between Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
The Golden Eaglets ultimately emerged triumphant, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory and claiming the coveted trophy.
When both teams met at the quarter-final of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, Burkina Faso got their revenge over Nigeria with a 2-1 win and stopped the Eaglets from qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
New era with Manu Garba
The Nigeria Football Federation last week confirmed Manu Garba as the new head coach of the team as preparations began in Abuja.
Garba comes with a huge pedigree in Nigerian youth circles, his crowning effort being leading the Golden Eaglets to the FIFA U-17 World Cup title in the UAE in 2013.
That team included players like Isaac Success of Udinese, Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest, and Kelechi Iheanacho of Leicester City.
The 58-year-old has already called up 51 players for a residential training camp in Abuja as Nigeria hope to retain their title. Manu is expected to name his final squad in a few weeks' time.
The tournament will run from May 15th to May 28th, 2024 in Ghana.
