Will Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets Play at the 2025 U17 AFCON? CAF Delivers Update
Nigeria’s hopes of competing at the 2025 CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco have been shattered, as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that the Golden Eaglets have not qualified.
The five-time world champions, who have made a record ten appearances at the tournament, were hoping to extend their legacy but failed to secure a spot in the qualifiers.
Manu Garba’s team finished third at the WAFU B U17 Championship last year, winning bronze after a 3-2 victory over Ghana. However, only the top two teams from the regional tournament earned automatic qualification, leaving Nigeria out of contention.
In recent weeks, there was hope that the Eaglets could still qualify if CAF decided to expand the tournament to 16 teams, following FIFA’s decision to increase Africa’s U17 World Cup slots to 10 for the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar. Many believed CAF would adjust its qualification process to allow more African teams to participate.
However, CAF confirmed on Monday that the U17 AFCON will remain a 12-team competition, dashing Nigeria’s last chance of qualification.
This decision means only the best-performing nations from the regional qualifiers will compete in Morocco, and despite Nigeria’s rich history in youth football, the Golden Eaglets will not be among them.
The 2025 U17 AFCON, scheduled to take place from March 30 to April 19, will serve as the pathway for teams aiming to qualify for the U17 World Cup in Qatar later that year. The tournament draw is expected to be held later this month.
