Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have arrived in Cairo ahead of the 2025 CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, with preparations intensifying as they gear up for a high-profile friendly against hosts Egypt, Soccernet.ng reports.
Led by head coach Aliyu Zubairu, a 33-man Nigerian delegation comprising 24 players and nine officials touched down at Cairo International Airport on Sunday evening aboard an EgyptAir flight.
The squad is settling into base ahead of the tournament, which runs from 27 April to 18 May across three Egyptian cities: Cairo, Ismailia, and Suez.
The seven-time African champions are scheduled to face Egypt’s Young Pharaohs in a friendly match on Monday evening.
The fixture, set for 5pm local time (4pm Nigerian time) at the Cairo International Stadium, forms a key part of Nigeria’s preparations before their Group B opener against Tunisia on Thursday, May 1.
Flying Eagles land in Cairo, Egypt pic.twitter.com/k48j0fbh5z
— The NFF (@thenff) April 21, 2025
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The Flying Eagles will then take on Morocco on Sunday, May 4, before rounding off their group stage campaign against Kenya on Wednesday, May 7.
All three matches will be played at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, according to match schedules confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Coach Zubairu’s side will be targeting at least a semi-final berth to secure one of four African slots for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
But the ambition doesn’t end there — Nigeria are determined to reclaim the U-20 continental crown for the first time in a decade, having last lifted the trophy in 2015.
The 17th edition of the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations features 13 nations, with the top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed sides progressing to the quarter-finals.
Group stage action begins on April 27, with hosts Egypt facing Zambia in Cairo, and Sierra Leone meeting South Africa in Ismailia.
Defending champions Senegal kick off their campaign on May 2 against the Central African Republic in Suez, followed by a showdown between DR Congo and Ghana.
Nigeria, with their rich tournament pedigree and an exciting crop of young talent, will be aiming to stamp their authority on Group B and continue their tradition of excellence at youth level.