U-20 World Cup: Flying Eagles set for 12-day camping in Chile
By Tosin Omojola –
Ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup scheduled for September 27 to October 19, Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are set to conclude their preparations with a 12-day final training camp in Chile, the host nation.
The seven-time African champions and two-time runners-up on the global stage, who have been training in Abuja for weeks, are scheduled to depart Nigeria on Sunday, September 14, for the South American country.
Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia, and Colombia are drawn in Group F of the 24-nation tournament, which will be played across the cities of Santiago, Rancagua, Valparaíso, and Talca.
The Flying Eagles, finalists in 1989 and 2005, will play all their group matches in Talca, beginning with Norway on September 29, Saudi Arabia on October 2, and Colombia on October 5.
At the last championship hosted by Argentina, Nigeria narrowly missed out on the semifinals, losing their quarterfinal clash against South Korea 1–0 after extra time in Santiago del Estero.
The Flying Eagles lost to Portugal in the 1989 final in Riyadh and to Argentina in the 2005 final in the Netherlands. They won the bronze medal in the former USSR in 1985.
Group A features hosts Chile, New Zealand, Japan, and Egypt, while Group B has South Korea, Ukraine, Paraguay, and Panama. Brazil leads Group C alongside Mexico, Morocco, and Spain. Group D includes Italy, Australia, Cuba, and multiple winners Argentina. Group E comprises the USA, New Caledonia, France, and South Africa.
