Nigeria: Flying Eagles pocket N192 million for U20 AFCON bronze as South Africa smile to the bank

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will return home from the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt with pride and a cash prize of $120,000 (approximately N192 million) after finishing third at the tournament, Soccernet.ng reports.

The seven-time African champions sealed the bronze medal in dramatic fashion, edging out hosts Egypt 4-1 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

It is Nigeria’s fifth bronze medal at the U20 AFCON.

While Nigeria fell short of their ambition to clinch an eighth title, Aliyu Zubairu’s side showed resilience and flashes of quality throughout the campaign. The Flying Eagles opened their tournament with a nervy 1-0 win over Tunisia, followed by a goalless draw with Morocco, before a 2-2 thriller against Kenya rounded off their group-stage efforts.

With five points from three matches, Nigeria progressed as Group B runners-up and faced defending champions Senegal in the quarter-finals.

In a tightly contested affair, the Flying Eagles held the Lions of Teranga to a 0-0 draw before goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt emerged as the hero in the shootout, saving two penalties and watching another cannon off the bar.

However, hopes of lifting the trophy faded in the semi-finals as South Africa edged Nigeria 1-0, courtesy of a lone strike that sent Amajita to the final.

Ft at the June 30 Stadium. We claim the Bronze medals pic.twitter.com/UPKBHvAivm

— The NFF (@thenff) May 18, 2025

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Nigeria: Flying Eagles pocket N192 million for U20 AFCON bronze as South Africa smile to the bank

Despite the setback, Nigeria capped off their campaign with a third-place finish, earning $120,000 (N192 million) from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for their efforts, as per Briefly.

South Africa, meanwhile, made history in Cairo by clinching their first-ever U20 AFCON title. A second-half strike by Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Gomolemo Kekana secured a 1-0 win over Morocco in the final—28 years after Amajita last reached the final, only to lose to the North Africans.

The win not only earned South Africa the trophy, but also the tournament’s top cash prize of $200,000 (around N320 million), according to CAF’s official prize money structure. Morocco, as runners-up, received $150,000 (approximately N240 million).

Both Nigeria and Egypt, as third and fourth-placed teams respectively, walked away with $120,000 each. Teams that reached the quarter-finals but failed to make the semi-finals earned $90,000, while third- and fourth-placed teams in the group stages received $75,000 and $50,000 respectively.

In total, CAF allocated $1,175,000 for the U20 AFCON tournament, rewarding teams based on their final standing. South Africa’s victory also guarantees them a place at the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, along with Morocco, Nigeria, and Egypt as the continent’s representatives.