Nigeria is set to participate in the upcoming inaugural West African Football Union U-17 Girls’ Nations Cup which will take place in Accra, the capital of Ghana, from December 12 to 26, 2024.
The inaugural edition of the tournament will showcase young female footballers from various West African countries, exhibiting their talents and competing to make history as the first winners of the competition. The participating countries include Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo.
The draw for the tournament is scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire at 9:00 GMT on Friday, November 29, 2024 as the seven countries will be pitched against each other in two groups.
Ghana were also hosts of the WAFU Zone B U-17 Cup of Nations which held from May 15 to May 29. In that edition, the Golden Eaglets lost to Ivory Coast in the semifinals but defeated hosts, Ghana, to clinch the bronze medal in a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
Earlier this year, they already showed their capabilities of competing at the global stage as they lost gallantly to USA in the quarter finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. As such, Bankole Olowookere and his team will once again hope to prove themselves as they lead the Flamingos to the sub-regional showpiece.
It is anticipated that the competition will play a crucial role in advancing women’s football in West Africa. Additionally, it is believed that the competition will increase interest in women’s sport throughout the region and inspire a new generation of female football players.
