Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, will on Saturday face neighbours Benin Republic in the first leg of the final qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, with a place at the global tournament now within reach.
The encounter, scheduled to take place in Ikenne, Ogun State, marks the beginning of a two-legged playoff that will determine one of Africa’s representatives at this year’s tournament in Morocco.
The Flamingos head into the crucial fixture in impressive form after demolishing Guinea 11-0 on aggregate in the previous qualifying round. The dominant display highlighted the team’s attacking strength and defensive solidity, as they comfortably outclassed their opponents across both legs.
Head coach Akeem Busari and his technical crew have maintained the squad’s momentum through intensive training sessions and a series of friendly matches aimed at sharpening the team’s readiness for the decisive ties against Benin.
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Nigeria’s rich pedigree at youth level continues to inspire confidence. The Flamingos remain one of Africa’s most successful U-17 women’s teams, having consistently qualified for the FIFA tournament and won the bronze medal at the 2022 edition in India.
Captain Harmony Chidi has been one of the standout performers in the qualifiers, scoring five goals against Guinea. She is expected to lead the attack alongside Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, who netted three goals in the previous round, while Queen Joseph is also tipped to play a key role with her pace and attacking threat.
Benin Republic reached the final qualifying round after defeating Sierra Leone 5-1 on aggregate and will be hoping to upset the favourites despite Nigeria’s superior experience.
The winner over the two legs will secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted by Morocco.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U-17 men’s team, the Golden Eaglets, will depart for China on Thursday to participate in the four-nation China International Youth Football Tournament in Yinchuan from July 5 to 11.
The five-time world champions will use the competition as part of their preparations for the WAFU B U-17 Championship in September, which serves as the qualifying tournament for next year’s U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Coach Uwejamomere Eboboritse will lead a 20-man squad, assisted by Kalli Mohammed Kachalla and Abdullahi Isa.
The Golden Eaglets will compete against hosts China, Australia and Tanzania during the tournament, which will be staged at the Yinchuan Sports Centre Helanshan Stadium.
