Nigeria U17 coach Ugbade explains why Golden Eaglets pre-AFCON camping will delay

Nigeria's U-17 national team coach Nduka Ugbade has explained why his team will not be able to begin their camping activities in January 2023 ahead of next year's CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria.  

The Eaglets who are hoping to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru reached the continental tournament when they won the WAFU Zone B regional competition few months ago. 

Nigeria are five-time U-17 World Cup winners after successes in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015. 

The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be played between 10th November and 2nd December 2023 while the U-20 version holds in Indonesia earlier, 20th May and 11th June, 2023.

Ugbade spoke with Brila FM Lagos on Tuesday  on why the team are unlikely to head to camp in January after the festive season. 

"We are trying to get clarity on when we will be in camp. The Flying Eagles have their Nations Cup before ours. Theirs is in February while our own come later. 

"The Nigeria Football Federation understands that the U-17 is not at the level of other national teams, there are a lot of constraints. We have challenges," Ugbade told Brila FM. 

The CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations will hold between 8th and 30th April 2023 while the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations will come earlier, 18th February to 12th March 2023.

Izuchukwu Michael

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