Flamingos Arrive In Yamoussoukro, Hit Training Ground As WAFU-B Adopts Tough Format
Nigeria’s Flamingos wasted little time settling into their new surroundings in Yamoussoukro as the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Championship got underway on Tuesday.
After the final 20-player squad was confirmed, coach Akeem Busari and her young charges arrived in Côte d’Ivoire late Monday night, with the team reaching their hotel in Yamoussoukro at exactly 8:23 p.m. local time, 9:23 p.m. Nigerian time.
But there was little time for rest.
With the tournament format undergoing a last-minute change following the withdrawal of Benin Republic, the Flamingos quickly turned their attention to the task ahead, beginning preparations for what has now become a demanding round-robin campaign.
The Nigerian delegation was received at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan by officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire before making the journey to Yamoussoukro, where they checked into Hotel Maurissonn.
By the time the rest of the tournament participants were preparing for Tuesday’s opening fixtures, Busari’s side had already begun adjusting to the new reality awaiting them.
Originally scheduled to compete in a group-stage format, the Flamingos will now battle the other five remaining nations — Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso — in a single round-robin league.
That means there will be little room for complacency.
Every point will count, every goal could prove decisive and every game will demand the full attention of the young Nigerians as they seek to make a strong impression in Yamoussoukro.
The championship officially kicked off on Tuesday at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium, with hosts Côte d’Ivoire facing Togo in the opening match before Ghana take on Burkina Faso later in the day.
For Nigeria, the waiting ends on Wednesday.
The Flamingos will open their campaign against Niger Republic at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium, before the much-anticipated meeting with Ghana on Saturday, September 19.
The encounter with Ghana will provide an early test of Nigeria’s ambitions, with both West African heavyweights also using the competition as part of their preparations for next month’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
For Busari and her players, however, the immediate priority is Niger.
After the long journey from Nigeria, the late arrival in Yamoussoukro and the sudden alteration to the competition format, the Flamingos must now quickly find their rhythm.
The road to WAFU-B glory has begun, and Nigeria’s young stars are ready for the grind.
