Checkout When Flying Eagles Would Know Their World Cup Opponents
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria will know their opponents at this summer’s FIFA U-20 World Cup finals in Poland after the draws ceremony to be held inside the Gdynia Sports Arena, Poland on Sunday.
Concise News reports that already, the seven-time African champions have been slotted into Pot 2 of the draws alongside African champions Mali, as well as New Zealand, Colombia, Korea Republic and Italy.
There will be six groups of four teams each at the 24-nation championship, with the top two teams at the end of the group phase, as well as the best four third-placed teams, advancing to the Round of 16.
Hosts Poland, Portugal, Uruguay, France, USA and Mexico are in Pot 1, with Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Argentina, Ecuador, Ukraine and Honduras in Pot 3.
Pot 4 has Japan, South Africa, Panama, Norway, Qatar and Tahiti.
Paul Aigbogun-tutored side finished outside the medals zone at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations that ended in Niger Republic on Sunday, following consecutive penalty shoot-out defeats to Mali and South Africa.
The team picked the last spot available for Africa.
Poland, which co-hosted the 2012 European Championship with Ukraine, will host this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup finals in the cities of Lublin, Bielsko Biala, Tychy, Bydgoszcz, Gdynia and Lodz, from May 23 to June 15.
It will mark the first time Poland have hosted a FIFA tournament and the first in Europe since 2013 in Turkey. They also hosted the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
England won the previous tournament but will not defend their title after losing 3–0 to Norway in a play-off for the final qualifying place at the 2018 UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Finland. England are the sixth consecutive champions to have failed to qualify for the subsequent U-20 World Cup.
The opening game and final will take place at the Stadion Widzewa in Łódź.
