Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will depart Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, October 8 aboard Royal Air Maroc as they begin the final phase of preparations for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The team will arrive in Casablanca, Morocco’s industrial and economic capital, where they will settle into camp before heading to Rabat for the tournament proper. While in Casablanca, the Flamingos are scheduled to play two high-profile international friendly matches. They will first face New Zealand on October 10 before taking on Paraguay on October 14. The team will then move into the official FIFA hotel in Rabat on October 15, where all participating teams will be based throughout the competition.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group D alongside Canada, France, and Samoa. The Flamingos will open their campaign against Canada on Sunday, October 19, before facing France three days later. Both matches are scheduled for 8 p.m. Nigerian time at the Football Academy Mohammed VI in the city of Sale. Their final group-stage fixture will be against Samoa on October 25, with kickoff set for 5 p.m. at the same venue.
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere’s side travel to Morocco in high spirits following a dominant run of form in their build-up to the competition. The team have played 10 warm-up matches, scoring an impressive 44 goals without conceding any. This remarkable defensive and attacking record highlights the squad’s balance and confidence heading into the tournament.
The Flamingos have continued to improve under Olowookere’s guidance, blending tactical discipline with creative attacking play. Their impressive performances in training and tune-up matches reflect a renewed determination to surpass their quarter-final finish at the last edition of the tournament held in the Dominican Republic.
Nigeria’s young stars will look to make a strong impression on the global stage once again as they chase a historic title in Morocco. With a blend of experience, talent, and belief, the Flamingos are focused on starting their World Cup campaign on a positive note when they take on Canada in their opening match.
