Nigeria’s U20 national football team, the Flying Eagles, arrived in Santiago, Chile, on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, and will commence full training today to prepare for the FIFA U20 World Cup, set to run from September 27 to October 19.

Led by head coach Aliyu Zubairu, the squad departed Nigeria on Sunday night and spent their first day recovering from travel fatigue. The team is scheduled for intensive double training sessions daily at 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. local time. Zubairu, who guided the Flying Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2025 CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, aims to surpass Nigeria’s best World Cup performances—runner-up finishes in 1989 and 2005.

The Nigeria Football Federation has organized friendlies against host nation Chile and Australia during the 12-day training camp to sharpen the team’s readiness. Nigeria is drawn in Group F, facing Norway on September 29, Saudi Arabia on October 3, and Colombia on October 6.

The 24th edition of the tournament marks a critical opportunity for the Flying Eagles to showcase their talent on the global stage, with Zubairu emphasizing a mission to make history.