Falconets hit FIFA U-20 World Cup venue without cash

Players and officials of Nigeria’s U-20 women team, Falconets have arrived Papua New Guinea, venue of the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The Falconets, who were finalists in the 2010 and 2014 edition of the FIFA World Cup, departed Abuja on Monday for Papua New Guinea, a country of about 160km north of Australia.

It was, however, learnt that the team left the country ‘without cash’ after reported fruitless effort by the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to ‘borrow money’ for the trip.

Falconets are in Group B alongside Japan, Spain and Canada. They will kick off their campaign against the Japanese on November 13, a day after the Super Eagles versus Fennecs of Algeria World Cup qualifier in Uyo.

A top official of the NFF told The Guardian that they were unable to secure money for the team before it departed on Monday.

“Things are really looking bad for us in terms of money,” the official said. “Do you know that our U-20 women’s team just travelled to Papua New Guinea without a single kobo. It has never happened, but that is the situation we have found ourselves. At least, the team needs money to take care of daily allowances and winning bonuses of players and their officials. I just hope they will be able to cope with the situation, and I pray we are able to send something across to them as soon as possible because such situation might demoralize them.”

Since the beginning of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Nigeria alongside four other countries, have made it to all editions. The Falconets lost to Germany in the final in 2010, and was defeated by Japan in the losers final in 2014 after losing the semifinal to USA.

In 2002 and 2004, they were unable to make a mark in the group stages, while they were beaten in the quarterfinals in 2006 and 2008.

In their last warm up match for the World Cup in Abuja, the Falconets lost 0-1 to Coach Florence Omagbemi-led Super Falcons, who are preparing for the 10th edition of the Africa Women’s Nations Cup in Cameroun.