The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has secured FIFA approval to host the first leg of the third-round qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta. The match against Senegal is scheduled for Saturday, February 7, 2026.
Ruth David, NFF Director of Competitions, confirmed the venue change, citing concerns over the deteriorating pitch at Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, the originally designated venue that hosted the Falconets’ second-leg victory over Rwanda U20 last September. The shift to Abeokuta ensures the players compete on a safe and high-quality field.
The Falconets, two-time FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup silver medalists, are expected to relocate from their Ibadan training base to Abeokuta in the coming days to familiarize themselves with the MKO Abiola Sports Complex. Nigeria reached the third round of the African qualifiers by defeating Rwanda 5-0 on aggregate.
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The winner of the Nigeria-Senegal clash will move on to the final round of African qualifying to face either Guinea Bissau or Malawi, with the ultimate goal of securing a spot at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, scheduled from September 5 to 27, 2026.
This venue change highlights the NFF’s proactive approach to ensuring top conditions for Nigerian youth teams and underlines the Falconets’ ambitions to continue their strong performance on the global stage.
