There are indication that Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, might feature at the 2024 National Sports Festival (NSF).
This according to emerging report suggest that the idea was part of a new group of Invited Junior Athletes introduced by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
The IJA is a pioneering initiative of the NSC, created to nurture young talents from across the country in various sporting disciplines. The group, effectively serving as the 38th state at the Festival, will make its debut at the Gateway 2024 Games, scheduled to begin on May 16 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Over 100 teenagers have been drafted into the IJA team, which will compete in 11 events – athletics, football, table tennis, wrestling, swimming, badminton, weightlifting, tennis, para athletics, among others.
The selection, according to the NSC, was designed to match Nigeria’s areas of competitive strength and serve as a platform for grooming future stars for national and international representation.
It was gathered that the Flamingos will represent the IJA in the women’s football tournament, where they are expected to face elite opposition from across the federation, Punch reports.
The participation is viewed as both a development opportunity and a competitive test for the squad, which recently sealed qualification for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after comprehensive victories over Algeria and South Africa.
Following their departure from camp in Ikenne recently, the Flamingos will reconvene in Abuja to join the broader IJA delegation and start preparations for the Festival.
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