2026 U-17 WWC: Ikpeme Backs Flamingos To Soar Past Mexico

The Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation,NFF, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, has urged the Flamingos, to remain focused and determined ahead of their Round of 16 clash against Mexico at the ongoing 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Ikpeme gave the charge on Wednesday during a visit to the team at their afternoon training session in Rabat, where he encouraged the players to put their victory over Korea DPR behind them and concentrate on the crucial knockout encounter.

The Flamingos will take on Mexico on Thursday, October 29, with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs as Nigeria continue their quest for glory at the tournament.

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The fixture also brings back memories of the teams’ meeting at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, where Nigeria recorded an emphatic 3-0 victory over Mexico in a Group D encounter on March 23, 2014.

Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu and Aminat Yakubu were on target for the Flamingos in the encounter played at the Estadio Nacional in San José.

Earlier, Head Coach Hakeem Busari had cautioned his players against dwelling on their group-stage victories over Puerto Rico and defending champions Korea DPR, stressing the need to prepare mentally and physically for the greater intensity of knockout football.

With a quarter-final berth at stake, the Flamingos will be hoping to build on their impressive group-stage performances and deliver another strong display against Mexico on Thursday.

Adeboye Amosu is a seasoned sports journalist and Senior Content Writer with extensive experience covering Nigerian football and international football. He specializes in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), provides insightful coverage, match reports, news, and analysis of the domestic game. Adeboye also follows the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chelsea, bringing his knowledge of the teams, players, and competitions to his writing.