The 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup is officially underway in Morocco, in what is the first time the prestigious youth tournament will be held on African soil, Soccernet.ng reports.
Among the standout opening fixtures, Nigeria’s Flamingos take on Canada on Sunday evening at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Salé.
For Nigeria, this is their eighth appearance in the competition, having reached the semifinals twice and finishing third in 2022, their best-ever result.
The West Africans have built a solid reputation as one of the tournament’s most consistent teams, boasting a record of 14 wins, seven draws, and seven defeats from their 28 games in the competition.
Coach Bankole Olowookere’s side arrive in Morocco with confidence after a strong build-up phase.
They were unbeaten in several domestic friendlies and continued their momentum abroad with two warm-up matches: a thrilling 3–2 win over Paraguay and a narrow 4–3 defeat to New Zealand. The Flamingos’ style of play under Olowookere is defined by high pressing, sharp combination football, and fearless attacking intent.
Nigeria will be looking to make a strong start, especially after fellow African representatives Morocco suffered a 3–0 loss to Brazil in the tournament’s opening match.
The Flamingos understand that a good result against a disciplined Canadian team could set the tone for their Group D campaign, which also includes France and Samoa.
Canada, on the other hand, are making their eighth appearance at the U17 Women’s World Cup after missing the 2022 edition.
Known for their tactical organisation and physical approach, the Canadians finished fourth in 2018, their best result to date. They enter this tournament in solid form, having impressed in a four-nation invitational in Mexico, drawing with the USA and Mexico (winning one on penalties) and beating Costa Rica 2–0.
How they qualified for the World Cup
Nigeria were one of five African teams to earn their place at this year’s World Cup, alongside Morocco, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Zambia.
During the African qualifiers, the Flamingos showed their quality with dominant performances:
- Second Round: Defeated South Africa 5–1 on aggregate (3–0 at home, 2–1 away).
- Third Round: Beat Algeria 4–0 in Ikenne-Remo before holding them to a 0–0 draw in Algiers.
The Flamingos’ qualification campaign highlighted their defensive solidity and attacking sharpness as the team conceded just one goal across four matches.
Canada booked their ticket through the CONCACAF U17 Championship, where they topped Group B after victories over Panama, Puerto Rico, and Nicaragua, scoring ten goals and conceding just twice.
The Reds have a strong pedigree in the region, having won the CONCACAF title once (2010) and finished in the top three in four of the last five editions.
Head to head
This encounter will be only the second-ever meeting between Nigeria and Canada at the U17 Women’s World Cup.
Their first clash came at the 2012 World Cup in Azerbaijan, where both sides drew 1–1. Amandine Pierre-Louis opened the scoring for Canada before Nigeria’s Chinwendu Ihezuo equalised nine minutes from time.
Nigeria went on to top the group on goal difference after a record-breaking 11–0 victory over hosts Azerbaijan, their biggest win in the history of the tournament.
Against CONCACAF opposition overall, Nigeria have recorded three wins, two draws, and one defeat, scoring eight goals and conceding five. Canada, in contrast, are unbeaten in five matches against African teams, with three wins and two draws, also scoring eight and conceding five.
Team news
Nigeria will be without one of their star forwards, Chidi Harmony, who misses the tournament due to injury. The exciting striker featured in the 2024 campaign and scored one of the goals of the tournament.
In her absence, captain Shakirat Moshood will shoulder the attacking responsibility.
Moshood was one of Nigeria’s standout players in the Dominican Republic last year, scoring four goals in the group stage alone. She has since been nominated for the CAF Young Player of the Year and will be key to Nigeria’s hopes in Morocco.
Moshood will lead a talented cast including goalkeeper Elizabeth Boniface, defenders Azeezat Oduntan and Christiana Sunday, midfielders Muinat Rotimi and Zainab Raji, and forwards Chisom Nwachukwu and Mariam Yahaya.
Canada’s squad, meanwhile, is a mix of exciting youth prospects and rising stars. Six of their players currently hold Youth Development permits with Northern Super League clubs, a sign of the country’s growing domestic pathway. Among them are goalkeeper Olivia Busby (Halifax Tides FC), defenders Naomi Lofthouse (Ottawa Rapid FC) and Bridget Mutipula (Vancouver Rise FC), and forward Melisa Kekic (AFC Toronto).
Notably, four players are receiving their first-ever national team call-ups, while two are dual citizens with the United States, adding extra depth and versatility to the squad.
Match details
- Competition: 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup (Group D)
- Fixture: Nigeria vs Canada
- Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025
- Venue: Mohammed VI Football Academy, Salé, Morocco
- Kick-off time: 5:00 pm (Nigerian Time)
Prediction and betting tips
Nigeria’s attacking flair and technical precision make them slight favourites, but Canada’s organisation and physicality will test the Flamingos’ composure. Both teams have proven difficult to beat, and the margins could be fine.
Expect Nigeria to dominate possession, press high, and look to exploit spaces behind the Canadian backline through Moshood and Yahaya’s pace. Canada, meanwhile, may rely on their compact defensive setup and quick transitions.
- Predicted Score: Nigeria 2–1 Canada
- Betting tip: Both teams to score – Yes; Nigeria to win or draw (Double chance)