Quarter-finalists in the women’s event of the 2004 Olympic Games Nigeria are scheduled to arrive in the French city of Bordeaux on Thursday night as the countdown begins for their first outing at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in 16 years.

The nine-time African champions, who must negotiate an interesting group that also includes Brazil, Spain and Japan, will depart Spain aboard an Air France flight and arrive in Bordeaux minutes before 11pm.

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The delegation of 18 players, four alternate players and officials, is scheduled to arrive at the team’s Hotel Mercure abode minutes before midnight.

Quarter-finalists at the Athens 2004 Olympics, the Super Falcons last featured at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in China in 2008, when they lost 1-0 to Korea DPR, 1-0 to Germany and 3-1 to eventual silver medallists Brazil.

Women’s football began as a demonstration sport at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. The Falcons made their entry in 2000 in Australia, where they lost 3-1 each to China, eventual winners Norway and eventual silver medallists USA.