Five-time champions, Nigeria, have landed in host nation Brazil for this year’s FIFA World Cup finals which will hold from 26th October to 17th November.

A team of 25 players and nine officials flew out of the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Wednesday evening for Dubai, where they connected another flight to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Four players would be cut from the roster after the preparatory period before a 21 –man World Cup squad is unveiled ahead of the opening encounter.

Nigeria won 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015 tournaments, but missed the 2017 finals in India. Head Coach Manu Garba, who led the 2013 winners, is confident that the Class of 2019 is in Brazil to reclaim the trophy.

The early departure will afford the Golden Eaglets a full two-week final preparatory period, before their opening match of the tournament against Hungary in Goiania on 26th October.

Nigeria will then clash with Ecuador (at the same venue on 29th October) and Australia (in Brasilia on 1st November) in Group B.

Vitoria is the other city hosting the 24 –nation championship.

FIFA U17 WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2019 GROUPS

GROUP A:

Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Angola

GROUP B:

Nigeria, Hungary, Ecuador, Australia

GROUP C:

Korea Republic, Haiti, France, Chile

GROUP D:

USA, Senegal, Japan, Netherlands

GROUP E:

Spain, Argentina, Tajikistan, Cameroon

GROUP F:

Solomon Islands, Italy, Paraguay, Mexico

25 EAGLETS IN BRAZIL FOR FIFA U17 WORLD CUP FINALS

Goalkeepers: Sunday Stephen, Joseph Oluwabusola, Daniel Jinadu

Defenders: Charles Etim, Ogaga Oduko, Usman Ibrahim, Clement Ikenna, Shedrack Tanko, Quadri Edun, Oluwatimilehin Adeniyi, Simon Omon

Midfielders: Samson Tijani, Akinkunmi Amoo, Daniel Francis, Ibraheem Jabaar, Ibrahim Sa’id, Monsuru Opeyemi, Fawaz Abdullahi, Idris Eletu-Odibo, Malcolm Ebowei, Peter Agba

Forwards: Olakunle Olusegun, Wisdom Ubani, Divine Nwachukwu, Mayowa Abayomi