Sports

Flamingos Of Nigeria Arrive In Rabat For U-17 Women’s World Cup Clash With Poland

Published October 14, 2026 at 1:42 PM

Key Takeaways

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, arrived in Rabat, Morocco, ahead of their opening Group B match against Poland at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Head coach Akeem Busari led a 21-player squad from Casablanca to Rabat after an evening training session, then began recovery work for the tournament at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.
The Flamingos play Poland on October 17 at 8pm, then face Puerto Rico on October 20 and DPR Korea on October 23, with the tournament running until November 7.

Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have arrived in Rabat, Morocco, ahead of their opening match against Poland at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Head coach Akeem Busari and his 21-player squad travelled from Casablanca to the Moroccan capital after an evening training session before beginning recovery activities ahead of their Group B campaign.

The Flamingos will face Poland on Saturday, 17 October, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm local time.

Nigeria will take on Puerto Rico on 20 October before completing their group-stage campaign against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 23 October.

The team will be based at the Complexe Sportif Feminin in Rabat, where the players will continue their preparations for the tournament.

Busari said the coaching staff had focused on identifying talented players and instilling discipline, tactical awareness and a strong understanding of the game.

“For every team, when you have thorough screening and inculcate your philosophy into the talents you have picked, you must let them understand what the game is all about,” Busari explained.

“It is a game of passion, strength and discipline. It is all about counselling, pushing them away from what is wrong to what is right, and getting them better ahead of challenges.”

Naija News reports that the Flamingos qualified for the competition after winning the WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup and will aim to build on Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2022 edition.

Busari said his players were eager to represent the country and stressed the importance of respecting every opponent.

“We are playing on the biggest stage. The girls are ready and eager to represent the green-white-green, likewise us. We want to make Nigeria proud,” he said.

“We respect every team, and we are not looking down on any team. We want to approach every game with equal mentality and tactics.”

The 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will run from 17 October to 7 November.

Author:

Ernest Victor

Victor Ernest Osong is a passionate communicator, teacher, poet, well-trained journalist, creative strategist, purpose-driven storyteller, and realist. With a strong foundation in writing, editing, content development, and leadership, he specializes in shaping narratives that inform, inspire, and ignite action. Email: ernestvictor@naijanews.com