Female football is on the rise. The recently concluded Women’s World Cup set record high TV ratings across the world. On the homefront, Amstel Malta also ran its “We Got Balls” campaign converging the best of the entertainment world and the Super Falcons.
Building on from this, global football regulator, Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) have shown interest in Nigeria as a possible host for the 2020 U-20 women’s World Cup on a conditional basis.
Officials from FIFA will be visiting the country in August to carry out a mandatory inspection upon which they’ll base their recommendations. The inspection will ensure that the host can account for the needed facilities to support the smooth running of the tournament. The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick displayed an optimistic attitude towards the arrival of the FIFA officials; Nigeria having outbid India and South Korea as possible hosts.
If officially declared as a host, Nigeria will be the first country to stage a Fifa women’s tournament in Africa, a big step from the 13th edition of the U-17 World Cup which Nigeria hosted 10 years ago. The tournament will feature a total of 16 teams with Nigeria automatically qualifying as host. The slot allocation and official date for the 2020 U-20 Women’s World Cup are yet to be announced.