FIFA U-17 WWC: Italy vs Nigeria – Preview, date, time and where to watch

By Enitan Abdultawab

The Nigerian Flamingos face a stern Italy test in the Round of 16 of the ongoing FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup.

The girls earned a place in the Round of 16 after they defeated Samoa in their last group fixture by four goals to nil, qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams, alongside the Netherlands, Zambia and Morocco.

Nigeria started the tournament poorly, losing to Canada and France in the first two opening matches before cruising past Samoa in the final matchday. Italy, on the other hand, recorded a 10/10 outing in the group stage, beating Brazil, host Morocco and Costa Rica and scoring 10 goals and conceding goals. They would be looking forward to extending their unbeaten streaks and dominance in these knockout stages.

This meeting would be the first time that both sides are playing against each other at this level of the competition.

The Flamingos know what is ahead of them and what they have suffered in big tests. They were undone by ruining chances created against Canada, losing by four goals to one. While it was expected that they would learn their lessons versus France, they were not at their best and lost narrowly by a goal to nil. Of course, a win against Samoa is enough as a confidence booster but they need to show resilience and grit.

Solomon Olowokoore, the Nigerian Flamingos head coach, has confirmed that the team is ready for Italy’s challenge.

“Italy are a strong side, but we have prepared well. We respect every opponent, but we will fight for every ball and every chance. The girls are confident and hungry. This team wants to make history for Nigeria — and we believe we can,” Olowokoore said.

Competition: FIFA U17 WWC Round of 16
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Time: 8:00 p.m. (Nigerian time)
Venue: Mohammed VI Football Academy (Pitch 2), Salé, Morocco
Where to Watch: FIFA TV

Other Round of 16 fixtures include:
Tuesday
Brazil U17 vs China PR U17 – 4:30 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy Pitch 3, Sale)
United States U17 vs Netherlands U17 – 4:30 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy, Sale)
South Korea U17 vs Morocco U17 – 8:00 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy Pitch 2, Sale)
Wednesday
Mexico U17 vs Paraguay U17 – 4:30 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy Pitch 3, Sale)
Spain U17 vs France U17 – 4:30 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy, Sale)
Canada U17 vs Zambia U17 – 8:00 PM (Mohammed VI Football Academy, Sale)
Japan U17 vs Colombia U17 – 8:00 PM (Venue TBC)

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