Flamingos depart for Morocco 2025 U-17 Women’s World Cup, aim for historic title

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, are set to leave Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, October 8, as they begin their final push towards the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The West African team will fly via Royal Air Maroc, with an initial stop in Casablanca, where they will continue preparations and play two international friendlies before heading to the tournament base in Rabat.

Friendly Matches Scheduled Ahead of Group Stage Battles

While in Casablanca, the Flamingos will take on New Zealand on October 10, followed by a clash against Paraguay on October 14. Both fixtures are designed to test the squad’s tactical readiness and match sharpness before the competition officially begins.

The team will check into the official FIFA hotel in Rabat on October 15, joining the other qualified nations ahead of the opening matches.

Tough Group Awaits Nigeria in Morocco

Nigeria has been drawn into Group D, alongside Canada, France, and Samoa, in what is expected to be one of the tournament’s most competitive groups.

The Flamingos will kick off their campaign against Canada on Sunday, October 19, at the Football Academy Mohammed VI (Pitch 2) in Sale. They will then face France on October 22, before concluding the group phase against Samoa on October 25.

• Oct 19: Nigeria vs Canada – 8:00 p.m. (Nigerian time)

• Oct 22: Nigeria vs France – 8:00 p.m. (Nigerian time)

• Oct 25: Nigeria vs Samoa – 5:00 p.m. (Nigerian time)

Olowookere’s Side Boasts Unbeaten Run and Goal-Filled Preparations

Led by Head Coach Bankole Olowookere, the Flamingos head into the World Cup on the back of 10 unbeaten preparatory matches, during which they scored 44 goals and conceded none—a remarkable feat that underscores both their attacking firepower and defensive discipline.

The squad features a mix of emerging talent and experienced youth internationals, many of whom featured in the Flamingos’ previous World Cup quarter-final campaign in the Dominican Republic.

Nigeria Eyeing First-Ever U-17 World Cup Title

With confidence high and preparations complete, expectations are growing that this Flamingos team could go further than any previous Nigerian side at the U-17 level. A place in the final—or even a historic championship win— is no longer viewed as impossible.

As the team heads to Morocco, they carry the hopes of millions of Nigerians, eager to see the country cement its place as a global powerhouse in women’s football.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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