By Ikemefuna Asika
Nigeria has qualified as one of Africa representative for the 2025 U-17 female World Cup scheduled to take place in Morocco later this year.
Despite wintry conditions in Blida, on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, Algiers on Friday night, Nigeria’s U17 girls achieved a scoreless draw that qualified them for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals.
Holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage, the 2022 bronze medallists adopted a calm and collected pattern that easily soaked up the expected pressure from the hosts, and then relied on fast breaks to try and pull the trigger on their opponents.
Although they created the better chances on the night, the Flamingos failed to make dominance in possession play, but swiftly collected the ticket to Morocco on a 4-0 aggregate win having won the first leg in Nigeria.
The difference over two legs of the final round was a remarkable display in the opening leg by the Flamingos, during which a brace by Queen Joseph, and one each by Zainab Raji and substitute Aisha Animashaun ensured a 4-0 win.
The Flamingos will now be one of Africa’s five representatives (including hosts Morocco) at this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals taking place from 17th October – 5th November, 2025. For the first time , the final competition will entertain 24 teams.
Since the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup competition was launched in New Zealand in 2008, Nigeria have only missed out in the 2018 tournament hosted by Uruguay.
