Ibrahim Gusau moves to reset WAFU-B Youth football with forthcoming calendar
President of West Africa Football Union Zone B, Ibrahim Gusau, has revealed that plans are in advanced stages to unveil a comprehensive 2026 activities calendar, a move expected to shape the direction of youth football development across the sub region.
Gusau, who also heads the Nigeria Football Federation, explained that the schedule will cover multiple age grade competitions for boys and girls, providing member nations with a clear roadmap for the coming season.
“We are working on the calendar of events for the various age grade competitions in 2026. Once we conclude the process, it will be released to the public,” Gusau disclosed.
The planned release comes at a crucial period as African youth teams intensify preparations for major continental competitions, including the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, which will be staged in Morocco from April 25 to May 15, 2026. The tournament will also serve as Africa’s qualification pathway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
WAFU B had earlier hosted its qualifying series under the umbrella of the Confederation of African Football, where teams battled for limited slots at the continental finals though Nigeria failed to secure qualification.
Attention is also shifting to the next cycle of the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, following the last edition held in Egypt in 2025. With the competition running on a biennial format, the next tournament will take place in 2027, meaning there will be no regional U-20 qualifiers this year.
The anticipated WAFU B calendar is expected to play a vital role in helping federations realign their youth programmes, identify emerging talents, and strengthen their competitiveness in future continental competitions.
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