Ahead of this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying matches, Head Coach Akeem Busari has described leading Nigeria’s Flamingos as a great honour. Busari was recently appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as Head Coach of the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup bronze medallists.
His remarks come as the Flamingos intensify preparations for their second-round fixture in the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The team is set to face the winner of the preliminary clash between Niger Republic and Guinea.
Guinea currently hold the advantage in that tie after securing a convincing 5-2 away victory over Niger Republic in Niamey. The result places them in a strong position ahead of the return leg scheduled to take place in Conakry this weekend.
Speaking on his new role, Busari expressed pride at the opportunity to serve the country, noting that both he and his technical crew are fully committed to the task ahead.
“Serving the nation is an honour for me and the rest of the coaching crew. We are all ready to give this our best shot,” Busari said.
He added that efforts are ongoing to properly prepare the squad, with the coaching staff working to fine-tune strategies, organize friendly matches, and ensure the players attain optimal match fitness ahead of the crucial fixtures.
As part of preparations, Busari has invited a total of 36 players to camp, comprising five goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 13 midfielders, and eight forwards, as he seeks to build a competitive squad.
The first leg of the second-round fixture is scheduled for the weekend of May 22 to 24, while Nigeria will host the return leg on May 30, as the Flamingos aim to secure passage to the next stage of the qualifiers.
