The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), at the weekend, assured cricket stakeholders that everything is set for the highly-anticipated ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa qualifier, which will hold in Lagos from March 28 to April 6, 2025.

Ahead of the great battles for the prestigious African ticket to the World Cup, Namibia’s team is expected to be the first team to touch down in Lagos today to join the host team; the Junior Yellow-Greens of Nigeria. Their early arrival is aimed at acclimatizing to the conditions ahead of the qualifier, showcasing their commitment and determination to secure a World Cup spot.

The event will be hosted at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Cricket Oval and the University of Lagos (Unilag) Cricket Oval in Akoka. Namibia’s early arrival will be followed by other participating teams—Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Sierra Leone—who are expected to all arrive tomorrow.

The NCF said that all the teams will have a training session on the pitches on Thursday in preparation for the tournament’s official flag-off on Friday.

The opening matches will see host nation Nigeria face Namibia at 9:30 a.m. in a high-stake 50-overs encounter at the Tafawa Balewa Square Oval, while Sierra Leone will duel with Kenya at the University of Lagos Cricket Oval on the same day.

According to the NCF, International Cricket Council (ICC) officials have already arrived in Nigeria to oversee the crucial World Cup qualifier, ensuring a seamless flow of event.

Speaking on Nigeria’s role as the host nation, NCF’s tournament coordinator, Emeka Igwillo, emphasised the significance of the event, stating: “This is another opportunity for Nigeria to show how broad the game is growing. It is okay to make progress on talent development; we also need to move the needle in our administrative prowess, facility development, community development, and engagement. These are all that will be put to the test in the few days that the attention of the cricket world will be focused on this event to see who picks the Africa ticket. I believe we are ready and Nigeria will play an excellent host.”