Nigeria To Face Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire In 2025 African Schools Championship

Nigeria has been placed in Group B of the Boys’ category for the 2025 African Secondary School Championship zonal qualifiers, where they will face Benin Republic and hosts Côte d’Ivoire.

The draw for the fourth edition of the competition was conducted on Friday, November 21, 2025, at the WAFU-B headquarters in Abidjan.

In the Boys’ U-15 division, Group A features Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Togo, while Group B consists of Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Côte d’Ivoire.

In the Girls’ U-15 category, Nigeria has been drawn in Group A alongside Côte d’Ivoire and Benin Republic. Group B includes Togo, Ghana, and Burkina Faso.

Full Groupings

Boys’ Category

Group A: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo

Group B: Benin Republic, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire

Girls’ Category

Group A: Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Benin Republic

Group B: Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso.

The 2025 finals will take place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from December 1 to 4, with six West African nations set to compete in both categories. Organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the African Schools Championship serves as a key platform for identifying and nurturing elite young football talent across the region. Zonal winners will advance to the continental finals.

The WAFU-B zone includes Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin, Niger, and hosts Burkina Faso.

Ghana heads into the qualifiers with strong momentum, following a standout performance in the previous edition.

The Ghanaian girls’ team clinched the African Schools Championship title at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, while the boys’ side secured third place achievements that have boosted expectations ahead of this year’s tournament.