Women U-20 World Cup Qualifier: Nigeria’s Falconets clash with Burundi gets new venue

The Falconets are the most successful team from the continent, and they will be favourites to make it to the Mundial next year

The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has made a decisive move, shifting the venue for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final qualifying round between Burundi and Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports.

Initially slated for the Stade du Prince Louis Rwagasore in Bujumbura, the clash will now be played at the Azam Stadium Complex in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

FIFA’s verdict was clear and unwavering — the Stade du Prince Louis Rwagasore failed to meet the necessary standards for hosting such a crucial match.

Consequently, the encounter is set to take place in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, January 14, 2024.

The decision has swiftly rearranged the logistics for both teams, requiring them to adjust to this unexpected change.

The second leg of the tie, on the other hand, will return to familiar grounds of the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Saturday, January 20, 2024.

The winner of the two-legged contest will secure a coveted spot at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, an event slated for Colombia.

Falconets head coach Chris Musa Danjuma has mobilised his squad, with all 25 players receiving notifications to converge in the Federal Capital, Abuja.

The team camp is billed to open on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, as the team gears up for intensive training sessions leading to the first leg match.

The Falconets boast an impressive track record in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, qualifying for every edition.

However, they have come tantalizingly close to glory, being runners-up twice – a bitter pill to swallow, losing both times to Germany in 2010 and 2014.