Ivory Coast U20 coach Younès Zerdouk calls up 20 players for second WAFU-B preparatory camp

Head coach Younès Zerdouk has summoned around 20 players as the Ivory Coast U20 national team intensifies preparations for the upcoming WAFU B U20 Championship qualifiers.

The young Elephants are gearing up for the regional competition, which serves as the qualification pathway for the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations. Following an initial training camp held last week, the technical team has now assembled the squad for a second external training camp aimed at further evaluating and preparing the players.

The new training session began on Monday, March 9, 2026, in Bingerville and will run until March 13. During this period, the coaching staff will focus on assessing the players’ technical abilities, tactical understanding, and overall readiness for the challenges ahead.

Coach Zerdouk and his technical team are using the camps as an opportunity to scout emerging talents and gradually build a competitive squad capable of representing Ivory Coast strongly in the WAFU-B tournament.

The preparation program will continue with another training camp scheduled after the current one. That camp is expected to include a friendly match against a Tunisian youth selection from Tunisia, although the specific team has not yet been confirmed.

The friendly encounter is planned to take place during the next international break and will provide the coaching staff with a valuable opportunity to test the squad in a competitive setting before the qualifiers begin.

With preparations gathering momentum, the Ivory Coast U20 team will be aiming to assemble a well-balanced and talented squad capable of securing qualification for the continental tournament and continuing the country’s proud tradition of producing top-level football talent.