Nigeria’s U20 boys, known as Flying Eagles and the U20 girls, Falconets are both set to begin camping in Abuja on Thursday to commence preparations for the 13^th African Games scheduled for the Ghanaian capital, Accra next month.

The Flying Eagles will open their chase for gold medal on 8 March when they face Uganda. Their next match will be against South Sudan on 10 March after which they will face Senegal on 12 March  after which they round up their group stage with a match with Tunisia.

There are four match days for the Group B of the men’s event which habours five teams instead of four.

Head Coach of the Nigerian team, Isah Ladan Bosso has invited a total of 30 players to the camp, from which a final list will be drawn to fly Nigeria’s flag at the men’s football event, with Nigeria aiming to go one step better after winning the silver medals at the last edition of the Games in Rabat, Morocco in 2019.

Bosso led the U20 boys to the quarter-finals of last year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Argentina.

On his part, Falconets’ Head Coach Chris Musa Danjuma, who has led his 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists to earn a ticket to this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia, has called up 23 players.

The invited players to both the men’s and women’s teams have been advised to report at the Agete Luxury Hotel in Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja on Thursday, 15^th February 2024.

Nigeria will play Uganda, South Sudan, Senegal and Tunisia in that order in the group stage of the 13^th African Games (formerly All-Africa Games), while the Falconets will square up to Morocco, Senegal and Cameroon.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS (FLYING EAGLES):

Goalkeepers: Nathaniel Nwosu (Water FC); Andy Ezekiel (Calabar Rovers); James Friday (Mavlon FC); Femi Oriola (36 Lions)  

Defenders: Daniel Bameyi (YumYum FC); Benjamin Frederick (Brentford FC, England); Ibrahim Abdullahi (Kano Pillars); Emmanuel Michael (Gombe United); Emmanuel Onoja (Heartland FC); Ime Sampson (Dakkada FC); Haruna Aliyu (Doma United)

Midfielders: Daniel Daga (Enyimba FC); Auwal Ibrahim (Akwa United); Yinka Shola (Madiba FC); Farouq Olanrewaju (Beyond Limits FC); Chibueze Izuogu (Enyimba FC); Simon Karshe (Mavlon FC); Ibrahim Adamu (Real Sapphire FC); Ibrahim Idris (Kano Pillars)

Forwards: Kehinde Ibrahim (36 Lions); Danjuma Lawali (Mahaniam FC); Oluwaseyi Akinfenwa (Real Sapphire FC); Ibrahim Lawal (36 Lions); Charles Agada (Mavlon FC); Nasir Muhammed (Capital City FC); Sunday Joseph (Zamfara United); Olalekan Ibrahim (Central Football Academy); Muhammad Isiaka (Niger Tornadoes); Rabiu Abdullahi; Nathaniel Arierhi (Beyond Limits FC)

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS (FALCONETS):

Goalkeepers: Anderline Mgbechi (Delta Queens); Faith Omilana (Naija Ratels); Rachael Unachukwu (Nasarawa Amazons); Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens)

Defenders: Oluchi Ohaegbulem (Nasarawa Amazons); Chiamaka Nkwocha (FC Robo Queens); Jumoke Alani (Nasarawa Amazons); Shukurat Oladipo (Nasarawa Amazons); Oluwabunmi Oladeji (Naija Ratels); Folashade Adegbemile (Delta Queens); Tumininu Adeshina (Naija Ratels)

Midfielders: Adoo Yina (Nasarawa Amazons); Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Olushola Shobowale (Nasarawa Amazons); Aminat Folorunsho (Rivers Angels); Chioma Olise (Edo Queens); Chinyere Kalu (Nasarawa Amazons)

Forwards: Edidiong Etim (Bayelsa Queens); Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Rivers Angels); Chinaza Agoh (Delta Queens); Mary Nkpa (Heartland Queens); Chiamaka Osigwe (Edo Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (Asisat Academy)