Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been drawn alongside Qatar, Ukraine and USA in Group D ahead of the forthcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.
In the draw ceremony held on Sunday, the Nigerian side will open her campaign against Qatar at Tychy Stadium on May 24.
They will then travel to Bielsko-Biala to face USA on May 27, just as the Paul Aigbogun side trade tackles with Ukraine in their final group game on May 30.
FIFA legends Bebeto, who won the U-20 World Cup in 1983 and the FIFA World Cup in 1994; and Fernando Couto, who lifted the U-20 title in 1989, made the draw in front of numerous coaches and icons of Polish football.
“I will be here during the summer, not only to enjoy the games but also to discover the culture of Poland,” said FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura. “The FIFA U-20 World Cup is a way for young players to demonstrate their talents and it is the second oldest FIFA competition, watched by more than 13 million people. Tickets are very affordable, so we hope for packed stadiums in the six host cities of Poland.”
The U-20 World Cup 2019 will take place from May 23 to June 15 in Poland, with at least seven matches to be played in each of the six host cities.
Both the opening game and the final will be held in Lodz, while Bielsko-Biala, Bydgoszcz, Gdynia, Lublin and Tychy will all stage at least two matches with a seeded team.
The groups at a glance
Group A: Poland, Colombia, Tahiti, Senegal
Group B: Mexico, Italy, Japan, Ecuador
Group C: Honduras, New Zealand, Uruguay, Norway
Group D: Qatar, Nigeria, Ukraine, USA
Group E: Panama, Mali, France, Saudi Arabia
Group F: Portugal, Korea Republic, Argentina, South Africa.
