Nigeria name 20-player Flamingos squad, land in Cote D'Ivoire for WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup
Nigeria’s U17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have arrived in Côte d’Ivoire ahead of the 2026 WAFU-B U17 Girls Tournament, with head coach Hakeem Busari naming a 20-player squad for the competition.
The Nigerian delegation departed Abuja on Monday morning and arrived in Abidjan, from where the team will proceed to Yamoussoukro, venue of the tournament scheduled for September 15–28.
The competition will provide the Flamingos with valuable preparation ahead of the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Nigeria are among Africa’s four representatives at the global tournament alongside Ghana, Kenya and Zambia.
The Flamingos have been drawn in Group B of the World Cup alongside North Korea, Puerto Rico and Poland, while Ghana will compete in Group C against Canada, Brazil and Norway.
Busari has selected a blend of players from established NWFL clubs and grassroots academies as Nigeria seeks to use the WAFU-B tournament to sharpen its squad ahead of the World Cup.
Nigeria’s opening fixture has also been revised following the withdrawal of Benin Republic from the tournament.
The Flamingos will now face Niger Republic on Wednesday instead of Ghana’s Princesses, while the much-anticipated Nigeria-Ghana encounter has been moved to Saturday.
Hosts Côte d’Ivoire will face Togo on Tuesday, with Ghana taking on Burkina Faso on the same day. On Friday, Togo will meet Niger Republic while Burkina Faso will battle the hosts.
Flamingos’ 20-Player Squad
Goalkeepers:
Onyinyechi Opara (Delta Queens); Ifesinachi Iloh (Solo Wonders Academy); Mercy Felix (Obosa Academy).
Defenders:
Opeyemi Sunday (Nasarawa Amazons); Azeezat Oduntan (FC Robo Queens); Esther Stephen (Unification Ladies); Elizabeth Adesuyi (Pacesetter Queens); Chidera Oparanmegwa (Bayelsa Queens); Temitope Ogunbunmi (Soccer Talent FC); Chisom Chukwuemeka (Diamond Stars Academy).
Midfielders:
Muinat Rotimi (Nakamura Academy); Mary Dunstan (Bayelsa Queens); Adeola Bashiru (Confluence Queens); Kaosarat Akanji (Dream Star Ladies); Ebunoluwa Akinola (Unstoppable Academy).
Forwards:
Harmony Chidi (Bayelsa Queens); Oluebube Umejiaku (Heartland Queens); Sakirat Sarafa (Remo Stars Ladies); Oluwakemi Adegbuyi (FC Robo Queens); Destiny Itobore (Delta Queens).
The WAFU-B tournament will offer Busari and his technical crew the opportunity to assess the players in competitive international action before the Flamingos head to Morocco for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.
With Nigeria already in Abidjan, attention now shifts to the opening encounter against Niger Republic as the Flamingos begin their final competitive preparations for the global showpiece.
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