Defending champions Nigeria will launch their title defence at the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship with a high-profile clash against arch-rivals Ghana on Monday in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire.
The Group B encounter is a repeat of the 2024 final in Lomé, Togo, where the Flying Eagles defeated the Black Satellites 2-1 under coach Aliyu Zubairu to successfully retain the regional title they first won in Niamey in 2022 under Isa Ladan Bosso.
This time, the responsibility falls on newly appointed head coach Abdu Maikaba, who begins his competitive tenure determined to guide Nigeria to another successful campaign.
"We are going for an outright victory against Ghana because our objective is to retain the trophy, and we have to start winning our matches from Day One," Maikaba said ahead of the match, which kicks off at 2 p.m. local time (3 p.m. Nigeria time) at the Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro.
The Flying Eagles head into the contest in a confident mood after defeating Athletique Club de Zenuola 2-1 in a preparatory friendly on Thursday.
Nigeria and Ghana share one of African football's fiercest rivalries, with decades of memorable contests across senior and youth competitions adding extra significance to Monday's encounter.
A victory over the Black Satellites would put the seven-time African champions in a strong position to qualify for the semi-finals before taking on Togo and Burkina Faso in their remaining Group B fixtures.
The Flying Eagles will face Togo on July 30 before concluding their group campaign against Burkina Faso on Aug. 2, with both matches scheduled for the Lycée Scientifique de Yamoussoukro.
Hosts Côte d'Ivoire, Benin Republic, and Niger Republic make up Group A of the competition as teams battle for regional supremacy in West African youth football.
With the title defence beginning against their biggest rivals, the Flying Eagles will be eager to make a strong statement and take a significant step towards another successful WAFU B U-20 Championship campaign.
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