National U-17 team yesterday embarked on a training tour in Abu Dhabi to begin preparations for the World Cup which is slated to begin on October 5, 2017 in India.
A total of 25 players made the trip to the United Arab Emirates after which the team would be cut to 21 for the tournament which will see them face off with host nation, India, USA and Colombia.
The Starlets are expected to play a number of warm-up games with countries who have qualified for the tournament before they jet-off to India.
Meanwhile, the sports ministry has confirmed that the winning bonus per match for the Black Starlets at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup finals next month remains US$1,000.
It would be recalled that the sector ministry slashed the amount from US$ 3,000 last May during the CAF U17 Nations Cup in Gabon.
“We are going to maintain the reviewed bonus structure that the ministry announced when they played in Gabon and we are up to date with the payment of their allowances as a government and we shall ensure that it continues like that,” deputy Sports Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide, said before the team’s departure.
“These are qualification bonuses but we hope that they win all their matches because the government has prepared some surprise packages for them aside the bonus.”
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