Nigeria’s U17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will face Japan in the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup final on Saturday. The match is set to begin at 7:30pm Nigerian time.
Flamingos make history en route to final
- Nigeria opened the tournament with a 2-1 group-stage loss against Poland.
- The Flamingos responded by beating Puerto Rico and reigning champions DPR Korea, results that carried them into the knockout phase.
- They defeated Mexico 2-1 in the last 16.
- A 1-0 quarter-final victory over Venezuela then sent Nigeria into the last four.
- In Wednesday’s semi-final, the Flamingos overcame Brazil 3-1 to secure their first-ever World Cup final appearance.
That victory also made Nigeria the first African side to reach the final of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.
Japan arrive with perfect group record
Japan are expected to provide a formidable test after completing the group stage with three wins and no goals conceded.
The Japanese reached their fourth final in the competition by eliminating DPR Korea on penalties in the semi-finals.
Nigeria will aim to complete a remarkable run by claiming their first world crown, while adding another landmark moment to the history of African women’s football.
