Olowookere hails National Sports Festival as boost for Flamingos’ World Cup build-up

By Wale Mustapha

Head coach of Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, Bankole Olowookere, has described the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF) as a “big plus” in preparing the Flamingos for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Olowookere’s side, competing under the Independent Junior Athletes (IJA) initiative, having advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s football event at the Gateway Games, taking place in Ogun State.

Speaking ahead of their semifinal clash against host team Ogun State at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, Olowookere said the tournament has provided valuable exposure and scouting opportunities for the national team setup.

“It’s a big plus in terms of developing the players. If we didn’t have the sports festival, some of these girls wouldn’t have had the opportunity to represent the team,” he said.

The former Naija Ratels manager confirmed the inclusion of eight new players in the squad, two of whom — Grace from Fortress Ladies and Maryam from FC Robo — have impressed during the competition.

“They’ve been exceptional,” he noted. “With more rigorous training, they will integrate even better into the squad.”

The Flamingos have already secured qualification for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, following victories over South Africa and Algeria in the CAF qualifiers.

Their participation in the NSF is part of broader efforts by the Nigeria Football Federation to ensure the team is competitively prepared ahead of the global tournament.