Costa Rica 2022: Again, Falconets draw familiar rivals, Canada, Korea Republic, France

Again, Nigeria will play old rivals Canada, Korea Republic and France in Group C of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup billed for Costa Rica in August 2022, following Thursday’s draw that was held at the Teatro Nacional in San José, capital of of the central American nation.

This is the fourth time in the history of the FIFA age-grade women’s football  competition which started as FIFA U-19 tournament in Canada in 2002 that Nigeria will face Canada in the same group.

Nigeria first faced off with North American giants, Canada in the group stage in the maiden edition in 2002 in Group A with Japan and  Denmark. Nigeria was again pitched together with Canada in 2006 in Group B alongside China and Finland.

Also, Nigeria and Canada were in the same Group B in 2016 with Japan and Spain just as both countries will play France and Korea Republic in Group C of the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2022

In the same vein, Japan has been a rival of Nigeria in the group stage of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final starting with the 2002 maiden edition in Canada. Since then Nigeria and Japan have been put in the same group in

2010 and 2016.

Other old rivals of Nigeria at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup level since inception are China, South Korea and England who have been in the same group with Nigeria in three past editions respectively.

A closer look at the FIFA parameters for pairing qualified teams show that at each edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup final from the U-17, U-20  to the senior levels, Nigeria must fall into a group that will feature one European, Asian and North or South American team in her group.

This is why the Flamingos, Falconets and Super Falcons  from CAF have always been drawn in the same group with teams from United States of America (USA), Canada and Mexico from CONCACAF; Japan, South Korea, North Korea and China from Asia Confederation; England, Spain, France, Italy and The Netherlands from UEFA and Australia and New Zealand from Oceania Confederation in the global football fiesta.

With this in mind it should not be a surprise to any women’s football follower that Nigeria’s Falconets have once again been drawn in the same Group C with heavyweights-

France, Canada and Korea Republic.