MALI’S U-17 side, ‘the Eaglets’ are expected to touch down at Kigali international airport this afternoon ahead of January’s Caf U-17 Championship which will be jointly staged in Kigali and Rubavu.

According to Ferwafa’s CEO Jules Kalisa, the Eaglets will arrive aboard an Ethiopian Airways plane before heading to Rubavu were they will camp and acclimatize to the newly refurbished Umuganda stadium, one of the venues for the continental showpiece.

"From the time they arrive to the official designated arrival date for teams, they (Mali) will foot their hotel expenses,” Kalisa noted.

Mali is drawn in Group B alongside defending champions Gambia, Congo Brazzaville and Ivory Coast, and will start her campaign on January 9 against fellow West Africans Ivory Coast at Umuganda stadium.

They will then play Gambia before winding up their group campaign against Congo Brazzaville on January 15.

The Baby Scorpions of Gambia are currently camped in Egypt but are expected to jet in next week for the tourney which is expected to run from January 8-22.
The top four will automatically qualify for the 2011 Fifa U-17 World Cup in Mexico.

Caf U-17 Championship

Group A- Rwanda, Egypt, Senegal, Burkina Faso
Group B- Gambia, Ivory Coast, Congo Brazzaville, Mali.

Ends