Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, are poised to make another historic run as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveils the roadmap for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
The tournament, scheduled to take place in Morocco from October 17 to November 8, 2025, is a groundbreaking edition as it will be hosted in Africa for the first time and feature an expanded format of 24 teams.
The Flamingos, who have been consistent powerhouses in African women’s youth football, will enter the qualifiers with high expectations. Known for their exceptional performances, the team has participated in nearly every edition of the U-17 Women’s World Cup.
BREAKING: The Flamingoes has reached the Semi-Finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s WorldCup for the first time in History. Nigeria defeated the dogged Team USA in penalties. Finally, THE JINX IS BROKEN!!
Congratulations to Nigeria. 🇳🇬🥂💃👏 pic.twitter.com/PuFGZJdIGL
— NEFERTITI (@firstladyship) October 21, 2022
In the 2024 tournament held in the Dominican Republic, they not only reached the knockout stages but also clinched the prestigious Fair Play Award.
Flamingos Begin Their Quest in the Second Round
Thanks to their stellar track record, the Flamingos have been granted a bye into the second round of qualifiers. There, they will face the winner of the first-round clash between Gabon and South Africa. South Africa, with two previous World Cup appearances, will be a strong contender, while Gabon aims to make history by qualifying for the first time.
If successful in the second round, Nigeria will advance to the third round, where potential opponents include Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Tunisia, and Algeria.
CAF Announces Qualification Structure
CAF has detailed the qualification schedule, which involves three rounds of home-and-away fixtures. The campaign kicks off on January 10, 2025, with 28 nations vying for World Cup berths alongside host Morocco.
The first round will be held in January, followed by the second and third rounds in March and April, respectively.
First-Round Matchups:
- M1, 2: Namibia vs Uganda
- M3, 4: Egypt vs Cameroon
- M5, 6: Zimbabwe vs Ethiopia
- M7, 8: Eswatini vs Tanzania
- M9, 10: Congo vs Benin
- M11, 12: DR Congo vs Niger
- M13, 14: Gabon vs South Africa
- M15, 16: Equatorial Guinea vs Botswana
- M17, 18: Tunisia vs Algeria
- M19, 20: Côte d’Ivoire vs Senegal
- M21, 22: Sierra Leone vs Central African Republic
- M23, 24: Togo vs Guinea
Second-Round Matchups:
- M25, 26: Namibia/Uganda vs Kenya
- M27, 28: Egypt/Cameroon vs Zimbabwe/Ethiopia
- M29, 30: Eswatini/Tanzania vs Zambia
- M31, 32: Congo/Benin vs DR Congo/Niger
- M33, 34: Gabon/South Africa vs Nigeria
- M35, 36: Equatorial Guinea/Botswana vs Tunisia/Algeria
- M37, 38: Ivory Coast/Senegal vs Burundi
- M39, 40: Sierra Leone/Central African Republic vs Togo/Guinea
Third-Round Matchups:
- M41, 42: Winner of M25, 26 vs Winner of M27, 28
- M43, 44: Winner of M29, 30 vs Winner of M31, 32
- M45, 46: Winner of M33, 34 vs Winner of M35, 36
- M47, 48: Winner of M37, 38 vs Winner of M39, 40
A Major Milestone for African Football
The Flamingos’ journey is one of the most anticipated stories in this qualification campaign. With Morocco hosting the World Cup, Africa stands at the center of women’s football history.
