Nigeria’s triumphant Flamingos returned to Abuja on Monday morning, bringing home the trophy after a historic campaign that saw them become the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The Nigerian girls sealed the landmark achievement on Saturday with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Japan in the final in Morocco, capping a remarkable run that earned them their first world title.
Awawu Bashiru broke the deadlock in the 39th minute before Oluebube Umejiaku doubled Nigeria’s advantage shortly after the restart. Japan pulled one back late in the encounter, but the Flamingos held their nerve to preserve their lead and secure the title.
The victory marked a major milestone for Nigerian and African women’s football, with the Flamingos becoming the first continental side to lift the trophy since the competition began in 2008.
The triumph also rewarded a team that demonstrated resilience throughout the tournament. After losing their opening group match to Poland, the Nigerians recovered strongly, winning their remaining matches against Puerto Rico and defending champions North Korea before progressing through the knockout rounds.
They defeated Mexico in the round of 16, Venezuela in the quarter-finals and Brazil in the semi-finals to set up the decisive encounter with Japan.
The team’s success came on the back of an equally impressive performance at the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, where they emerged champions after winning all five matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding only twice.
Umejiaku’s outstanding contribution to the World Cup campaign was further recognised with the Golden Ball award, presented to the tournament’s best player.
Head coach Akeem Busari attributed the team’s achievement to determination, character and the steady development of women’s football in Africa.
Speaking after the final, he said the performances of African teams at the tournament reflected growing competitiveness and an improving standard of youth football on the continent.
“What we are seeing now is not a fluke. It is about development, it is about character, and it is about fighting from the beginning to really get it right. So we are elated and happy,” he said.
Busari expressed hope that the Flamingos’ success would inspire other African countries to invest more in women’s youth football and challenge for honours at future international competitions.
The Flamingos had previously recorded their best finish at the tournament in 2022, when they placed third in India. Their latest triumph has now taken Nigerian youth women’s football to an unprecedented height.
