By
Eniola Olatunji 

The 11th World U20 Football tournament will take place in Colombia from Saturday 31st August 2024 to Sunday 22nd September with an upgrade from a previous 16 nation participants to 24 countries for the first time. 

On parade will be four countries that have always been in the competition from the beginning till now namely Germany; USA; Brazil and Nigeria. Mexico is appearing for the 10th time; Canada and France for the 9th time each and North Korean as well as Japan are showing up for the 8th time each.

There are 11 debutante nations namely Austria; Chile; Chinese Taipel; Denmark; Fiji; Haiti; Papua New Guinea; Poland; Thailand and two African nations in Cameroon and Morocco.

Two nations have three titles each in Germany and USA. Germany won in 2004, 2010 and 2014 with Silver in 2012 and Bronze in 2002 and 2008. Second on the Medals table is USA winning Gold in 2002, 2008 and 2012 with no Silver but Bronze in 2004 and 4th place twice in 2006 and   2016.

North Korea won Gold in 2006 and 2016 placing 4th in 2014. Japan won in 2018, were Silver Medalist twice in 2012 and 2016. Spain are the defending Champions winning their only title in 2022 with Silver in therlands2018. 

Nigeria, the only African country with a podium finish bagged the Silver twice in 2010 and 2014 with a Bronze in 2012. Nigeria lost to Germany on the two occasions she was Runners-up. Nigeria stopped 5 times at the quarterfinal stages whereas no other African Country reached the quarterfinal. Nigeria’s Falconets won Gold at the 2019 All African Games Football.

China emerged Runners-up twice in 2004 and 2006. France was runners-up in 2014 and bagged Bronze in 2008 and 2018. Brazil got Bronze twice in 2006 and 2022 as well as placed 4th in 2002 and 2004. South Korea got Bronze in 2010 and England also got Bronze in 2018 Hosts Columbia’s best was 4th place in 2010 as well as Netherlands that was 4th in 2022.

Africa will be playing in four different Groups in Columbia. Cameroon is in Group A with hosts Columbia, Australia and Mexico. Morocco will be in Group C with Spain, USA and Paraguay. The Falconets of Nigeria will tackle Germany, Venezuela and Korea in Group D while Ghana will line up against Japan, New Zealand and Austria in Group E.

In Group B are France, Canada, Brazil and Fuji Islands while Group F consists of Argentina, Netherlands, Costa Rica and People Republic of Korea.

Nigeria will play Korea on Monday 2nd September at midnight; face Germany on Wednesday 4th September at 11pm and tackle Venezuela on Saturday 7th September at 9pm all at the Group D Stage.

Cameroon will open their appearances with Mexico in the tournament opening match at 9pm on Saturday 31st August; play Columbia on Wednesday 4th September at 0200 hours and play the last group A match on Friday 6th September at 2300 hours.

Morocco is in the group of Death (C) scheduled to face Paraguay first on Monday 2nd September at 2100 hours; play USA on Thursday 5th at 0200 hours and on Sunday 8th September at midnight exchange skills against defending Champions, Spain.

The Black Princesses of Ghana in Group E will on Monday 2nd September lock horns with Austria at 2300 hours; try to upset the Japanese High Tech machine at 2300 hours on Thursday 5th September and then round up the group stages against New Zealand on 9th September at midnight.

The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Thursday 12th and Friday 13th September; the quarterfinals will be decided on Sunday 15th and Monday 16th; the semifinals will be played Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th; the 3rd place match is on Saturday 21st September at 2200 hours and the grand finale is Sunday 22nd September also at 2200 hours.

Leading the Nigerian crew is Christopher Danjuma. He has fleeting assistants in Mansur Abdullahi, Effionwa Ekpo among others
The Falconets who had been camping in Abuja will move to Bogota in Columbia from Sunday 18th August. The Falconets jumped over Tanzania and Burundi to qualify for the grade age mundial.