Fifa Under-20 World Cup - Africa's Draw

African champions Nigeria will play in Group D of the 2011 Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Colombia which starts in July and ends in August. The Flying Eagles were crowned champions of the Caf African Youth Championship last month after beating Cameroon 3-2 in the final of the tournament held in South Africa.

Nigeria, who were runners-up at the 2009 Under-17 World Cup which they hosted, are pitted in Group D where Guatemala, Croatia and Saudi Arabia await.

Runners-up Cameroon meanwhile are in Group B and their first opponents are champions of Oceania, New Zealand. After that Cameroon will play Portugal and finally Uruguay in a tricky pool.

Africa’s third-placed side Egypt are in Group E and will have the pleasure of facing Brazil in the Under-20 World Cup opening match on 29 July after which the young Pharaohs will do battle with Panama and Austria.

Mali’s reward for reaching the finals is to face hosts Colombia in a tough looking Group A. The Eaglets’ opening match will be against South Korea before a date with Colombia and a final fixture former colonial power France in a group mainly based in the Colombian capital Bogota.

The top two teams in each group along with the best four third-placed sides will go through to the last 16 of the competition.

Africa’s four participants qualified for the Under-20 World Cup by reaching the semi-finals of the African Youth Championship where reigning African and world champions Ghana failed to reach the last four.

Africa’s foursome will now be aiming to follow in the footsteps of the Black Satellites who became the first African side to win the Under-20 World Cup when they famously defeated Brazil on penalties in the final in 2009.

2011 Fifa Under-20 World Cup draw

Group A
Colombia
France
Mali
South Korea

Group B
Portugal
Uruguay
Cameroon
New Zealand

Group C

Australia
Ecuador
Costa Rica
Spain

Group D
Croatia
Saudi Arabia
Nigeria
Guatemala

Group E
Brazil
Egypt
Austria
Panama

Group F
Argentina
Mexico
England
North Korea