Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, has charged the Flamingos to carry their winning mentality into the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after their impressive triumph at the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls’ Cup in Côte d’Ivoire.
Ikpeme, on Saturday commended the U-17 women’s national team for their outstanding performance in the regional competition, and praised the players for representing Nigeria with distinction.
He urged the Flamingos to maintain the same determination and triumphant spirit when they compete at the World Cup finals which begins in Morocco later this month, while setting their sights on securing a podium finish.
Speaking on behalf of the players, Flamingos captain Harmony Chidi assured the NFF and Nigerians that the team would not disappoint at the global tournament.
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Chidi said the players are determined to repay the confidence placed in them by the Federation and the country with a strong performance at the World Cup.
The Flamingos head into the tournament on the back of a dominant campaign in Côte d’Ivoire, where they won the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls’ Cup after completing a perfect run.
Akeem Busari’s side capped off their campaign with a convincing 4-0 victory over Togo in their fifth and final fixture at the Lycée Scientifique pitch in Yamoussoukro.
Nigeria began the tournament with a commanding 5-0 win over Niger before defeating Ghana 4-2. They followed that up with 2-0 victories over Burkina Faso and hosts Côte d’Ivoire.
In five matches, the Flamingos scored 17 goals and conceded just two, underlining their dominance throughout the competition.
The regional champions will now shift their focus to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, scheduled to run from October 17 to November 7, 2026.
Nigeria are drawn in Group B alongside Poland, debutants Puerto Rico and defending champions North Korea, with the Flamingos aiming to translate their impressive regional form into a deep run on the world stage.
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