The semi-final fixtures for the WAFU B Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have been confirmed, with hosts Ivory Coast set to take on defending champions Nigeria, while Burkina Faso will face neighbours Niger for a place in the final.
Both matches will be played on Wednesday at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium as four of West Africa’s leading youth teams battle for the opportunity to lift the regional title.
The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2027 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations. With Ghana already guaranteed a place at the continental competition as hosts, the eventual winners of the WAFU B tournament will claim the remaining qualification slot from the region.
The headline fixture sees tournament hosts Ivory Coast meet Nigeria in what promises to be one of the standout matches of the competition.
The Young Elephants have enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, winning both of their group matches without conceding a goal.
They opened their tournament with a commanding 5-0 victory over Benin before following it up with a 2-0 win against Niger to finish the group stage with maximum points.
Those performances have established Ivory Coast as one of the tournament favourites, with home support expected to provide an additional advantage in the knockout stages.
Standing in their way are reigning champions Nigeria, who will be aiming to defend the regional crown.
The Flying Eagles made a strong start to their campaign by defeating Ghana 4-2 before recording a convincing 3-0 victory over Togo.
However, their hopes of finishing top of Group B were ended by a 2-0 defeat to Burkina Faso in their final group match.
Despite that setback, Nigeria remain among the competition’s strongest sides and will be determined to return to the final.
The second semi-final brings together Burkina Faso and Niger in a contest between two neighbouring nations with contrasting journeys to the last four.
Burkina Faso progressed as unbeaten winners of Group B after producing a series of consistent performances.
The Young Stallions defeated Togo 3-1 before drawing 1-1 with Ghana, and then completed the group stage with an impressive 2-0 victory over defending champions Nigeria.
Their unbeaten record has made them one of the most consistent teams in the tournament heading into the semi-finals.
Niger, meanwhile, reached the last four after playing only two group matches.
The Mena U20 side began its campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory against Benin before suffering a defeat to hosts Ivory Coast.
That was still enough to secure a semi-final place, but they now face a Burkina Faso side full of confidence after topping their group.
For all four nations, Wednesday’s matches represent more than just a place in the tournament final.
