Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will leave for China tonight to compete in the 2026 China International Youth Football Tournament, an important step in their preparations for the upcoming WAFU B U-17 Championship.
The prestigious youth competition, which runs from July 5 to July 11 in Yinchuan, will feature four countries, Nigeria, hosts China, Australia, and Tanzania. It is organised by the Chinese Football Association in partnership with the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Administration of Sport and the Yinchuan Municipal People’s Government, with matches scheduled for the Yinchuan Sports Centre Helanshan Stadium.
The tournament offers the five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup champions an opportunity to sharpen their form ahead of the WAFU B U-17 Championship, where qualification for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations will be at stake.
Head coach Uwejamomere Eboboritse will oversee a 20-man squad during the trip, supported by assistant coaches Kalli Mohammed Kachalla and Abdullahi Isa, as the newly assembled team continues its development.
The former Sporting Lagos Academy youth coach had earlier stressed the significance of the international outing for his players.
“Our preparations have already started, and the China tour will be very important for this team,” Eboboritse said in quotes revealed by Sports 247.
Nigeria head into the tournament encouraged by a series of positive performances in their warm-up fixtures since opening camp in Abuja.
The Golden Eaglets began their preparations with a commanding 4-1 victory over Sporting Dreams before settling for a goalless draw against P Sports FC.
They then wrapped up their pre-tournament friendlies in style, hammering Unicorn FC of Kwara 5-0.
Those results saw the team score nine goals while conceding only once, highlighting both their attacking strength and defensive solidity ahead of the trip.
Most members of the current squad were identified through last year’s FIFA Talent Development Scheme U-15 programme, reflecting the Nigeria Football Federation’s commitment to strengthening its grassroots talent pipeline.
Despite naming the travelling squad, the coaching crew has maintained that selection remains open, with additional players expected to earn invitations after the China tournament as the race for places in the team continues.
