Nigeria Unveils U-18 Squads for Africa Hockey 5s Championship in Nairobi
Nigeria’s under-18 hockey players are set to travel to Nairobi this August for the 2026 Africa Hockey 5s Championship, the Nigeria Hockey Federation has confirmed.
According to AllAfrica, citing the Leadership newspaper, the federation has unveiled the squads that will represent Nigeria at the continental age-grade tournament, scheduled to run from August 6 to 8 in the Kenyan capital. The event brings together the continent’s emerging talent in Hockey 5s, a five-a-side variant of field hockey played on a smaller pitch with shortened match times.
The championship is organised under the auspices of the African Hockey Federation, the continental governing body affiliated with the international federation. Age-grade tournaments such as the U-18 championship are viewed by African hockey administrators as important development pathways, offering young players exposure to international competition at a formative stage in their careers.
Kenya has emerged as a regular host for African hockey events. The Kenya Hockey Union oversees a competitive domestic structure, and Nairobi’s pitches have previously staged continental tournaments for both senior and junior sides. Hosting the U-18 championship in the capital offers the Kenyan federation a chance to showcase its facilities while drawing regional federations together.
For Nigeria, hockey has historically punched above its weight within the African sporting landscape, with national teams — including junior sides — having featured in continental championships in past editions. The unveiling of the U-18 squads signals the federation’s preparation for a busy international calendar, as officials look to build a pipeline of players capable of progressing to senior ranks.
The championship will offer the selected Nigerian players a chance to test themselves against peers from across the continent, with the team’s performance likely to shape the federation’s longer-term planning for the age group.
Sources
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