The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria have secured the bronze medal of the WAFU B U17 Championship with a thrilling 3-2 victory over hosts Ghana in Tuesday’s third-place match at the University Stadium, Accra.
Despite emerging third, the Eaglets failed to qualify for the Africa U17 Cup of Nations finals slated for Cote d’Ivoire in 2025.
The Confederation of African Football has clarified that next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations will still have 12 finalists in attendance, as against the minimum of 16 teams being projected by African football enthusiasts.
“The final tournament will still have 12 teams,” CAF’s Director of Competitions, Samson Adamu, told thenff.com.
Expectations had been high among African football followers that the 2025 Africa U17 Cup of Nations would be expanded, following FIFA’s allocation, at its Congress in Bangkok, penultimate week, of 10 slots to the continent for the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup that Qatar has been designated to host.
On this note, Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba has pleaded with CAF to reconsider having the semifinalists of the WAFU B tournament in the U17 AFCON finals.
“WAFU have produced good teams for the FIFA U17 World Cup, we as Nigeria have won the World Cup five times, Cote d’Ivoire also reached the semifinals,” Manu said.
“CAF will therefore do well to take all four semifinalists to the U17 AFCON.” Garba appealed.
Meanwhile, Burkina Faso has replaced the Golden Eaglets as WAFU B U17 champions after they beat Cote d’Ivoire 3-1 in the final.
Qatar will host five consecutive FIFA U17 World Cup finals beginning next year, each having 48 teams in attendance.
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