Flamingos Set for Tough Test as Nigeria Face Canada in World Cup Opener

The 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup kicks off in Morocco, the first edition ever held in Africa, with Nigeria’s Flamingos facing Canada on Sunday evening at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Salé.

This marks Nigeria’s eighth appearance in the tournament. The Flamingos have been one of the most consistent sides at this level, reaching the semifinals twice and finishing third in 2022 — their best result so far. With 14 wins from 28 matches, coach Bankole Olowookere’s team will be eager to make another deep run.

The Nigerians head into the World Cup on a high. They impressed in their build-up games — including a thrilling 3–2 win over Paraguay and a narrow 4–3 loss to New Zealand. Known for their high pressing and fearless attack, they’ll aim to start strong, especially after Morocco’s 3–0 defeat to Brazil.

Canada, making their eighth appearance after missing 2022, are known for tactical discipline and physical play. They finished fourth in 2018 and arrive in Morocco after a solid showing in a four-nation invitational tournament, where they held both Mexico and the USA and beat Costa Rica 2–0.

Nigeria’s qualification campaign was dominant, highlighted by a 5–1 win over South Africa and a 4–0 home victory against Algeria. The Flamingos conceded just once across four qualifying matches.

Captain Shakirat Moshood will lead Nigeria’s charge in the absence of injured star forward Chidi Harmony. She’ll be supported by talents like Elizabeth Boniface, Christiana Sunday, and Mariam Yahaya.

Kick-off is at 5:00 pm Nigerian time. Expect a close contest — Nigeria’s attacking flair versus Canada’s compact style.