Nigeria’s U-17 girls touched down in Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday night, completing a journey via Lomé as they set their sights on a crucial first-leg result against Guinea this Saturday in Abidjan.
The Flamingos have arrived in Abidjan, setting the stage for Saturday’s 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Guinea. The team flew out of Lagos aboard an Asky Airlines flight, made a stopover in Lomé, Togo, and landed at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport late Wednesday night, according to FootballInNigeria.com.ng.
The squad, led by head coach Akeem Busari, is lodged at the Seen Hotel in Abidjan ahead of the tie. Guinea are hosting the first leg at their adopted ground in the Ivorian capital on Saturday, May 23, with the winner determined over two legs.
Ikenne Camp Sharpens the Flamingos
The Flamingos spent the final stretch of their preparations at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, where Busari and his technical crew drilled the squad on pressing, movement off the ball, and composure in the final third. The camp had been running since early April, starting in Abuja before relocating to Ikenne.
The team’s warm-up schedule told its own story. They put seven past both Generation Next and YAFA U-15, six past Nazareth Queens, and five past both Solo Wonder Babes and Lakeside Queens FA. A draw against Real Rising Stars SC was the only blemish in an otherwise dominant pre-qualifier run. Fans following Nigeria’s young Flamingos who want to back them through the qualifiers can check out the Bet9ja welcome bonus before Saturday’s first leg kicks off.
Precious Oscar Brings Falconets Experience to Camp
One of the more notable additions to the Flamingos camp was Precious Oscar, who had just helped the Falconets qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. Oscar scored the decisive away goal against Malawi in a 3-2 aggregate victory and wasted no time linking up with the younger squad in Ikenne.
Speaking before the trip, Oscar was direct about the team’s mindset. “We have done a lot of trainings and we are well prepared to face our opponents in the away game,” she said, stressing that a strong first-leg result in Abidjan would be vital heading into the return fixture. Her experience at the senior youth level gives Busari’s squad an extra edge, and the technical staff clearly value what she brings to the group.
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What’s at Stake: Morocco and the Road Ahead
This two-legged tie is part of the second round of CAF’s qualifying process for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which Morocco will host from October 17 to November 7. Africa gets four slots at the 24-team tournament, meaning every qualifying round carries significant weight.
The return leg is set for the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, on Saturday, May 30. That gives the Flamingos the advantage of a home crowd in the second match, but Busari has made clear his team is focused on securing a favourable result on the road first. Meanwhile, the draw for the tournament groups is scheduled to take place at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich on Thursday, giving fans an early look at the bracket even as the African spots are still being contested.
Nigeria has a proud record in this competition, having reached the semi-finals at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, where they finished third. Another run to Morocco would represent a major statement of intent for women’s youth football development in the country. New Bet9ja bettors can check out the Bet9ja sign-up bonus before the qualifiers conclude.
📌 Did You Know?
- The 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be hosted by Morocco between October 17 and November 7, making it the first time Morocco hosts the tournament.
- Nigeria’s Flamingos finished third at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, their best-ever result at the competition.
- Guinea opted to use Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire as their “home” ground for this qualifier rather than playing in Conakry, making it a neutral-ish venue for both sides.
- Precious Oscar, who joined the Flamingos camp, scored the crucial away goal that helped the Falconets beat Malawi on a 3-2 aggregate to qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
- The Flamingos’ preparatory campaign in Ikenne included a combined goal tally of over 30 goals scored in friendly matches, highlighting the attacking depth Busari has built in the squad.
- Asky Airlines, which flew the Flamingos to Abidjan, is a West African regional carrier headquartered in Lomé, Togo, and is one of the primary carriers for inter-regional travel across Francophone West Africa.
- Africa will be represented by four teams at the 2026 U-17 Women’s World Cup, with Nigeria aiming to make it nine appearances in the tournament’s history since their debut in 2008.
