WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
As team begins its longest trip ever, Remi Tinubu holds Send-Forth for Super Falcons on Saturday
The Super Falcons are set for what is easily the longest distance they will travel in the quest for global honours.
They will begin their Women World Cup challenge on 21 July when they face Canada at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in Australia before moving to Brisbane to face co-hosts, Australia on 27 July and Ireland on 1 August.
Should they qualify from the group stage, they might be require to go further eastward to New Zealand which is 16,215 km away from Nigeria, the farthest any Nigerian football team has had to travel.
Although the Super Falcons played at the 2015 edition in Canada, the North American country is 10, 650 km from Nigeria, shorter in comparison to 13, 947 km to Australia.
The NFF will on Saturday organize a Send-Forth dinner for Super Falcons, ahead of the team’s departure from the country to participate in the 9th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals taking place in Australia and New Zealand, 20 July – 20 August this year.
Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu will lead a choice cast of eminent political chieftains and top government functionaries, which will include the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Ismaila Abubakar and his counterpart in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
A good number of the playing body, as well as technical and administrative officials, are expected alongside the hierarchy and rank and file of the NFF, led by the President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau and the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.
The event at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja will also attract corporate chieftains, members of the diplomatic corps and a range of football stakeholders.
On Sunday, the nine-time African champions will depart the shores of Nigeria for a 15-day camping programme in Australia, before they enter into camp for the tournament proper, with their base at Brisbane – which is also venue for two of their matches in the group phase.
Nigeria’s first match of the finals is against Canada, at Melbourne’s Rectangular Stadium, on Friday, 21 July, before clashes with co-host nation Australia and Republic of Ireland on Thursday, 27 July and Monday, 31 July respectively, at the Lang Park in Brisbane.
Australia and New Zealand 2023 will be the biggest-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in history, as it welcomes 32 teams – same number as featured in the men’s finals in Qatar last year. It is also the first to be hosted by two countries, and is the first-ever FIFA senior competition to be hosted by two countries in two different confederations: Australia is in the Asian confederation while New Zealand is in Oceania.
Nigeria’ captain Onome Ebi will be one of the oldest players at the tournament, at 40, alongside Brazil’s Marta and Canada’s Christine Sinclair. The three women will be featuring in their sixth FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament.
Twenty-four hours before the Send-Forth at the Transcorp Hilton, the Australian High Commission, courtesy of the Ag. High Commissioner, Her Excellency Leanne Johnston, will host the Falcons to a dinner at the High Commission in Abuja.
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Flamingos Set for Morocco 2025 as Nigeria’s U-17s Depart Abuja for Final World Cup Preparations
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will depart Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, October 8, as they begin the final leg of preparations for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup scheduled to take place in Morocco.
The team will travel aboard Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca, Morocco’s industrial and economic hub, where they will set up camp ahead of the tournament.
During their stay in Casablanca, the Flamingos will step up their build-up programme with two high-profile international friendlies — first against New Zealand on October 10, and then Paraguay on October 14.
Following their training camp, the team will move into the official FIFA hotel in Rabat on October 15, joining other participating nations as the countdown begins to the global showpiece.
Drawn in Group D, Nigeria will face Canada, France, and Samoa in what promises to be a competitive group. The Flamingos will begin their campaign against Canada on Sunday, October 19, before locking horns with France three days later.
Both matches will be played at the Football Academy Mohammed VI in Sale, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. Nigerian time. Their final group match comes against Samoa on October 25, starting at 5 p.m., also in Sale.
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere’s side heads into the tournament brimming with confidence after a remarkable build-up.
The Flamingos have played 10 tune-up games, scoring an impressive 44 goals without conceding any, a record that highlights their attacking prowess and defensive discipline.
Olowookere has expressed optimism about his team’s readiness, noting that the squad’s balance and form give them belief they can surpass their quarter-final finish at the last edition in the Dominican Republic.
With a perfect preparation run and growing momentum, the Flamingos will be aiming to make history in Morocco and bring pride to Nigerian women’s football once again.
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Nigeria’s U17 Women’s National Team, the Flamingos, are rounding off their preparations for the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco with a string of dominant performances that underscore their growing confidence and team chemistry.
In a remarkable build-up campaign, the Flamingos have played eight friendly matches in Abuja, winning all and maintaining a perfect defensive record. The team has scored 26 goals without conceding, a run that has lifted morale and heightened expectations ahead of their World Cup challenge.
Last week, the team showcased their attacking prowess with a convincing 3–0 victory over Abuja All-Stars.
Praise Agba opened the scoring from a loose ball, Olamide Olanrewaju doubled the lead from the penalty spot, and Zainab Raji sealed the win with a thunderous strike shortly after the restart. Goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu was outstanding between the sticks, producing several key saves to preserve another clean sheet.
Earlier, the Flamingos overcame a rain-disrupted clash against Josiah Academy, running out 2–0 winners courtesy of a Chisom Nwachukwu brace within the opening 10 minutes before the downpour forced an early end to proceedings.
The girls also recorded emphatic wins over Nazareth Angels (5–0), with Queen Joseph bagging a brace and goals from Praise Agba, Mariam Yahaya, and Chisom Nwachukwu; and Horvel Prime (5–0), where Joseph netted a first-half hat-trick, while captain Shakirat Moshood and Azeezat Oduntan added one apiece.
Across all their tune-up matches, the Flamingos have demonstrated an impressive balance — clinical in attack, disciplined in midfield, and solid at the back — as they fine-tune for global competition.
Drawn in Group D alongside Canada, France, and Samoa, Nigeria will depart for Morocco on October 8, aiming to carry their perfect form into the tournament, which runs from October 17 to November 8.
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Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, continued the country’s dominance over Rwanda on the international football stage by securing a 1–0 victory in Kigali on Sunday in the first leg of their 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup second-round qualifier.
The narrow win comes against the backdrop of two recent triumphs by the Super Eagles over Rwanda in the men’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, underlining Nigeria’s growing hold in encounters with the East Africans.
At the Kigali-Pele Stadium in Nyamirambo, both sides battled fiercely in a goalless first half, with chances at a premium. The breakthrough arrived in the 70th minute when Alaba Olabiyi bundled the ball home from a goalmouth scramble after a Falconets corner. The strike proved enough to hand Coach Moses Aduku a winning start in his first competitive game in charge of the team.
With the victory, the Falconets carry a slim but valuable advantage into the return leg at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Saturday, where they will be backed by home support as they push for a place in the next round of qualifiers.
The team’s delegation is expected back in Nigeria on Monday morning to begin preparations for the decisive clash.
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