Nigeria's Flamingos open their FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup campaign against Poland in Rabat this evening. Kick-off is at 6pm Moroccan time, which is also 6pm in Nigeria, on Pitch 4 at the Women's Football Complex. It is the first meeting between the two countries at U-17 women's level.

Akeem Busari's side have been in the Moroccan capital since last week, as we reported when the Flamingos landed in Morocco. Now the real work starts.

Busari has studied the Poles

The coach did not hide it. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Busari said Poland “are taller and want to use direct play” and like to run numbers into the box for crosses. His answer is a mid block that still lets his players “play our philosophy and play from the back” when they win the ball. “So, we respect all teams and I believe all teams respect Nigeria as well,” he told reporters.

He called the opener a good test.

Poland have a goalscorer. Zofia Burzan is in form. She scored both goals in their 2-0 win over England in the European qualification play-off at Inver Park in Larne. That result sent the Poles to Morocco and left England, who had finished third in their group at the European Under-17 Championship, at home. They missed the 2025 edition but reached the quarter-finals in the Dominican Republic in 2024, where Korea DPR knocked them out.

How the Flamingos got here

African qualifying was close to a stroll. Captain Harmony Chidi scored a hat-trick inside 39 minutes of the 5-0 first-leg win over Guinea in Abidjan, a tie moved to Cote d'Ivoire because Guinea could not provide a stadium at home, and she added two more in the 6-0 return leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne for an 11-0 aggregate.

Benin Republic were different. Tougher. Nigeria edged a 3-2 first leg in Ikenne, then went to Lome and won a wild return leg 5-3, with Mary Dustan, Esther Stephen and Queen Joseph all scoring inside the first 20 minutes, to go through 8-5 on aggregate. Busari said afterwards he was proud of the players' determination and attacking spirit.

Chidi has not stopped.

The captain was on target with Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, Mary Dustan and Kaosarat Akanji when ten-player Nigeria beat Ghana's Black Maidens 4-2 at the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup in Yamoussoukro last month.

What it means for Nigeria

This is Nigeria's ninth appearance at the tournament. The best finish remains the bronze won in India in 2022, when the Flamingos beat Germany on penalties after a 3-3 draw. They have reached the quarter-finals four times. The last edition was also staged in Morocco. It ended for Nigeria in the round of 16 with a 4-0 defeat to Italy, and Korea DPR went on to win it. The North Koreans are the defending champions, and they sit in this group.

So tonight matters. Nigeria face Puerto Rico on Tuesday 20 October and Korea DPR on Friday 23 October. Three points against Poland would take much of the pressure off before the champions come round.

Anything less, and the road gets narrow.

This article was most recently revised and updated 8 seconds ago