Nigeria’s Flamingos will now open their 2026 WAFU B U-17 Girls’ Tournament campaign against Niger Republic on Wednesday, September 16, after a late change to the competition schedule.
The tournament was initially set to begin with Nigeria facing Ghana, but the withdrawal of Benin Republic has forced a reshuffle, bringing Niger into the Flamingos’ opening fixture in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
The Nigerian delegation, led by head coach Hakeem Busari, arrived in Côte d’Ivoire on Monday with a 20-player squad as preparations for the regional tournament got underway.
With the revised schedule, hosts Côte d’Ivoire face Togo on Tuesday, while Ghana take on Burkina Faso in the other opening fixture.
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Nigeria’s meeting with Ghana has subsequently been moved to Saturday, September 19, making the heavyweight West African encounter a potentially important fixture later in the competition.
Before that clash, the Flamingos must negotiate their opening test against Niger before the revised schedule sees Togo face Niger three days later, while Burkina Faso take on the hosts.
The tournament comes at an important stage of Nigeria’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, with the Flamingos using the regional competition to sharpen their squad ahead of the global tournament.
Nigeria and Ghana are among Africa’s four representatives at the World Cup, alongside Kenya and Zambia.
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The Flamingos have been drawn in Group B for the global tournament alongside North Korea, Puerto Rico and hosts Poland, while Ghana will compete in Group C with Canada, Brazil and Norway.
The immediate priority for Busari’s side is Niger, with the WAFU B competition offering Nigeria an opportunity to test the squad in competitive conditions, build momentum and fine-tune preparations before the World Cup.
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