Nigeria’s U-23, U-18 handball teams begin preparations for int’l championships

Nigeria’s Under-23 and Under-18 men’s handball teams have commenced intensive training camps ahead of two major international championships. The U-23 team, coached by Solomon Yola and Adebayo Yekini, is training at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja in preparation for the 5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship, set to take place from March 11 to 16, […]

Nigeria’s Under-23 and Under-18 men’s handball teams have commenced intensive training camps ahead of two major international championships.

The U-23 team, coached by Solomon Yola and Adebayo Yekini, is training at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja in preparation for the 5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship, set to take place from March 11 to 16, 2025, in Varna, Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, the U-18 team, under the guidance of Emeka Nnamani and Joshua Ayo, is preparing at Rowe Park Sports Center in Yaba, Lagos, for the IHF Trophy Intercontinental Phase, scheduled for March 12 to 16, 2025, in Pristina, Kosovo.

The U-18 team is Africa’s sole representative in the tournament after securing the continental title with a 38-26 victory over Guinea in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2024. They have consistently ranked among the top youth teams, finishing second in Pristina in 2019 and third in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 2023. They will open their campaign against New Caledonia on March 12 before facing Kosovo.

The U-23 team will compete in Group B of the Emerging Nations Championship, facing the USA, Azerbaijan, and Moldova. Their first match is against the USA on March 11, followed by Azerbaijan and Moldova.