Nigeria’s U15 boys, the Future Eagles, have arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan, ahead of the inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival, which runs from October 22 to 31, Trybal News reports.
The 14-man squad, accompanied by six officials, arrived in the Azerbaijani capital on Thursday afternoon after departing Abuja on Wednesday night. The delegation travelled to Istanbul aboard a Turkish Airlines flight before connecting to Baku.
Head coach Patrick Bassey and team administrator Nasiru Jibril are among the officials accompanying the team as Nigeria prepares for its opening fixture against South Sudan on Saturday.
The Future Eagles have been drawn in Group AD alongside South Sudan, Jordan, The Gambia, Cyprus and Pakistan. Nigeria will face a demanding schedule, taking on Jordan and The Gambia on Sunday before completing their group-stage fixtures against Cyprus and Pakistan on Monday.
The tournament will feature an eight-a-side format, with each match consisting of two 20-minute halves.
Performances in the group stage will determine the tier in which each participating nation will compete during the second phase of the competition, scheduled for October 28 and 29. The tier finals will follow on Friday, October 30.
The inaugural event provides a platform for young footballers from participating countries to showcase their abilities and gain valuable international experience.
Future Eagles Squad
Goalkeepers: Victor Wisdom (Eagles Wings Academy, Abuja), Peter Linus (HB Academy, Abuja).
Defenders: Daniel Olaomi (Eagles Wings Academy), Prosperity Anionovo (Buruj Football Academy, Lagos), Timothy Ijachi (Mavlon FC, Lagos), David Okwusogu (NFF TDS), Michael Ibironke (NFF TDS).
Midfielders: Abdulsalam Muhammad (Simonben Academy, Kaduna), Martin Chukwu (AS Roma Academy, Abuja), Ayomide Jekami (NFF TDS), Mayowa Salu (NFF TDS).
Forwards: Abdulrazak Mufutau (12Alive FC, Ibadan), Wisdom Oche (Shakhandam Academy, Abuja), Wisdom Boniface (Adoration Academy, Enugu).
