The 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is set to commence in Colombia, and Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, gear up for their opening match against South Korea.
The team, led by Coach Christopher Musa Danjuma, has been preparing for the tournament with a two-week final camping program in Bogota.
The Falconets secured their spot in the championship by defeating Tanzania and Burundi on aggregate, earning one of Africa’s tickets to the tournament. This will be the team’s ninth appearance in the competition, having first participated in 2002 when it was still known as the U19 Championship.
Nigeria’s Falconets have a challenging road ahead, drawn to play Korea Republic, Germany, and Venezuela in the group round. Their opening match against South Korea is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 2, 2024, at Bogota’s 10,000-seat Estadio Metropolitano de Techo, kicking off at 12:00 AM Nigerian time. The game will be broadcast on Supersport.
The team will then face Germany on September 4 at the same venue, followed by their final group stage encounter against Venezuela on September 7 at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali.
With 24 teams competing in the tournament for the first time, the Falconets know they must start strong from the opening whistle to have any hope of advancing to the Round of 16. Coach Danjuma and his team are determined to make a mark in the competition, building on their experience and skills honed during their friendly games and camping programs.
The Falconets’ journey to the World Cup has not been without challenges, having lost to Mexico in a friendly game and settling for a silver medal at the African Games.
However, they are ready to put these setbacks behind them and focus on making Nigeria proud in Colombia.
