Confirmed: Nigeria to face South Africa or Gabon in FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially outlined the roadmap for African teams competing in the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, Soccernet.ng reports.

The tournament, scheduled to take place in Morocco from October 17 to November 8, marks a historic first for Africa as the host continent and features an expanded format with 24 teams.

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CAF, in a statement released on Thursday, confirmed that the qualification journey will begin on January 10, 2025, with 28 African nations vying for a chance to join hosts Morocco at the World Cup.

A total of five African representatives will compete at the finals.

The qualification process will be conducted over three rounds, with home-and-away fixtures determining the winners at each stage.

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have been given a bye into the second round due to their impressive track record.

Having participated in all but one edition of the U-17 Women’s World Cup, the Flamingos are widely regarded as one of Africa’s powerhouses in women’s youth football.

They reached the knockout stages and clinched the Fair Play Award during the 2024 edition held in the Dominican Republic.

In the second round, Nigeria will take on the winner of the first-round encounter between Gabon and South Africa.

While South Africa has appeared in two of the tournament’s eight editions, Gabon is eyeing their first-ever qualification.

If victorious, Nigeria will face a third-round clash against the winner of the matchups involving Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Tunisia, and Algeria.

CAF also revealed the schedule for the qualifiers. The first-round ties will take place over two weekends in January 2025, with the second and third rounds set for March and April, respectively.

The Flamingos’ campaign will be one to watch as they seek to uphold their legacy on the global stage.

With Morocco hosting the tournament, Africa is set to shine as it welcomes the world to its footballing showcase.

FIXTURE LIST:

• M1, 2: Namibia – Uganda
• M3, 4: Egypt – Cameroun
• M5, 6: Zimbabwe – Ethiopia
• M7, 8: Eswatini – Tanzania
• M9, 10: Congo – Benin
• M11, 12: DR Congo – Niger
• M13, 14: Gabon – South Africa
• M15, 16: Equatorial Guinea – Botswana
• M17, 18: Tunisia – Algeria
• M19, 20: Cote d’Ivoire – Senegal
• M21, 22: Sierra Leone – Central African Republic
• M23, 24: Togo – Guinea

Second Round:

• M25, 26: Namibia x Uganda – Kenya
• M27, 28: Egypt x Cameroun – Zimbabwe x Ethiopia
• M29, 30: Eswatini x Tanzania – Zambia
• M31, 32: Congo x Benin – DR Congo x Niger
• M33, 34: Gabon x South Africa vs Nigeria
• M35, 36: Equatorial Guinea x Botswana vs Tunisia x Algeria
• M37, 38: Ivory Coast x Senegal vs Burundi
• M39, 40: Sierra Leone x Central African Republic vs Togo x Guinea

Third Round:

• M41, 42: Winner 25, 26 vs Winner 27, 28
• M43, 44: Winner 29, 30 vs Winner 31, 32
• M45, 46: Winner 33, 34 vs Winner 35, 36
• M47, 48: Winner 37, 38 vs Winner 39, 40