Nigeria's Flamingos Win Maiden FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Title

Nigeria's Flamingos have made history by defeating Japan 2-1 in the final to win their maiden FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup title. This victory marks a significant milestone for women's football on the continent, with Nigeria becoming the first African country to lift the trophy. Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku secured the historic triumph for the Nigerian youngsters.

The Flamingos began their campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Poland but responded with five successive victories, displaying resilience and growing confidence on their way to the title. They recovered with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico before producing one of the competition's biggest upsets by defeating defending champions North Korea 3-1. This result ended North Korea's 18-match unbeaten run in regulation time at the tournament.

Nigeria's journey to the title included victories over Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil. Umejiaku and Dunstan found the net to secure their passage into the quarter-finals against Mexico, while Azeezat Oduntan converted an 89th-minute penalty to seal a narrow 1-0 victory against Venezuela. The Flamingos maintained their momentum, defeating Brazil 3-1 to reach the final for the first time.

In the final, Bashiru broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, capitalising on an assist from Mary Dunstan to give Nigeria the lead. Umejiaku made it 2-0 just two minutes into the second half, racing on to a superb long-range pass from Esther Stephen and calmly lifting it over the advancing Japanese goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki.

Japan refused to surrender and reignited the contest in the 80th minute when Fuki Ito converted a pass from Anri Ito to reduce the deficit. The goal set up a nervy closing period as the Japanese pushed aggressively for an equaliser, while Nigeria battled to preserve their advantage. Kanyinsola Yusuf received a yellow card in the 83rd minute, but the Flamingos remained dangerous going forward.

Head coach Akeem Busari attributed the team's impressive recovery from their opening defeat partly to psychological guidance and efforts to rebuild the players' confidence. Captain Harmony Chidi had also expressed the significance of winning the competition, describing the prospect of lifting the trophy as a moment that would remain unforgettable.

The world title further strengthens the Flamingos' reputation as one of Africa's outstanding teams at the age-grade level. Before their trip to Morocco, the Nigerian side had demonstrated their quality at the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d'Ivoire, where they won all five matches, scored 17 goals and conceded just once.

Key points

• Nigeria becomes the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup title.