Nigeria’s Flying Eagles begin their quest for a maiden FIFA U20 World Cup title on Monday when they face Norway in their opening Group clash in Chile.
Making their 14th appearance at the tournament, the seven-time African champions qualified after finishing third at the 2025 U20 AFCON. Their best results remain runners-up finishes in 1989 and 2005.
Opponents Norway are making just their fourth appearance at the global showpiece, having come through European play-offs. They have never advanced beyond the group stage.
Coach Aliyu Zubair remains upbeat despite Nigeria’s mixed results in recent friendlies, insisting his side have sharpened their attack and improved in the final third.
“The results were not the most important thing,” he said. “We saw clear improvement.”
Kick-off is set for 21:00 WAT in Santiago as both nations look to start their campaigns on a winning note.
