Nigeria’s Flamingos leave for Morocco today, Wednesday, 7 October, determined to make amends for their painful exit from last year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Head Coach Akeem Busari’s side heads into the 2026 tournament with a clear mission: to erase the memory of its last outing. Nigeria, the 2022 bronze medallists, went out after a 4-0 defeat by Italy at the 2025 finals, also in Morocco. The Flamingos had a goal chalked off by the Video Support Review before Italy pulled away.
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The Flamingos know how to bounce back. They reached the quarter-finals in 2024, where the United States beat them 2-0, two years after they eliminated the Americans on penalties on their way to bronze in India.
Nigeria now draws Group B opponents Poland, Puerto Rico and Korea DPR. The Flamingos open against Poland on 17 October, meet Puerto Rico on 20 October and close the group stage against Korea DPR on 23 October.
Busari trims his options to 21 players and hands the armband to forward Harmony Chidi. Three goalkeepers make the cut: Jane Ijirigho, Mercy Felix and Onyinyechi Opara.
The defence features Elizabeth Adesuyi, Esther Stephen, Chidera Oparanmegwa, Azeezat Oduntan, Opeyemi Sunday, Rodiat Yusuf and Kaosarat Akanji. In midfield, Awawu Bashiru, Mary Dustan, Muinat Rotimi, Favour Nkwocha, Shakirat Tobiloba and Tosin Rafiu compete for places.
Chidi leads the attack alongside Oluebube Umejiaku, Queen Joseph, Precious Oscar and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi.
The group offers no easy games. Poland, Puerto Rico and Korea DPR all arrive with their own ambitions, and every point will matter in the race for a knockout place. Busari must quickly mould his squad into a unit that handles pressure better than last year’s team.
Now the preparation ends and the real test begins. In Morocco, the Flamingos aim to show they have learned from their last outing and to put Nigeria back among the contenders.
