FIFA U-20 World Cup: Nigeria get tough group stage draw
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been drawn against Brazil, Italy and Dominican Republic in the Group D of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup scheduled to begin next month in Argentina.
The tournament was earlier slated for Indonesia but the hosting right was withdrawn from the Asian country after the governor of Bali refused to host the Israeli team. It was subsequently given to Argentina and will commence on 20 May – 11 June.
At the draws ceremony which took place on Friday afternoon in Zurich, Switzerland, Nigeria, who finished third at the just concluded U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt, will face five-time winners Brazil in the group stage.
They will also lock horns with the 2017 edition second runners up Italy and tournament’s debut and 2022 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship runners up the Dominican Republic in what is expected to be a tough group stage for Nigeria.
Despite dominating the continent in the age group competition with seven titles and appearing 12 times in the competition at the global level, Nigeria have been unable to lift the U-20 World Cup – the closest Nigeria came was in the 1989 and 2005 when they finished as first runners up.
FIFA U-20 World Cup draw in full
Group A
Argentina, Uzbekistan, Guatemala, New Zealand
Group B
USA, Ecuador, Fiji, Slovakia
Group C
Senegal, Japan, Israel, Colombia
Group D
Italy, Brazil, Nigeria, Dominican Republic
Group E
Uruguay, Iraq, England, Tunisia
Group F
France, Korea Republic, The Gambia, Honduras
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