Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have arrived in Abuja following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
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Key Highlights
- Flamingos arrive in Abuja on Monday after winning the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
- Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku scored in the 2-1 final win over Japan.
- Nigeria becomes the first African team to win the tournament.
- Coach Hakeem Busari says the triumph “is not a fluke” but the result of development.
- President Tinubu hails the victory as a milestone for Nigerian and African women’s football.
The team returned to the country on Monday morning after defeating Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final to claim their first-ever title in the competition.
Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku secured the victory, making the Flamingos the first African team to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The historic achievement capped an impressive campaign by the Nigerian youngsters, who had earlier demonstrated their quality by winning the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire with a perfect record of five victories from five matches.
They scored 17 goals and conceded just once during the regional competition.
Busari: ‘This Is Not A Fluke’
Head coach Hakeem Busari praised his players for their determination, discipline and tactical execution, describing their achievement as evidence of the growing development of women’s youth football in Africa.
Speaking after the final, Busari said the performances of African teams at the tournament demonstrated improvements in quality, character and competitiveness.
“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.
The coach also expressed optimism that more African countries would reach the latter stages of future editions and eventually compete for the title.
Reflecting on the final against Japan, Busari explained that his technical crew had identified their opponents’ strength in winning second balls and exploiting spaces behind defensive lines as major threats.
He said the Flamingos adjusted their approach by directing long passes into open spaces to limit Japan’s opportunities to recover possession and launch attacks.
According to him, the team initially sought an early goal but became more cautious after taking the lead, while Japan eventually equalised through a set-piece situation.
Busari described the encounter as a tactical contest that required collective defending, discipline and effective game management.
Read also:
- Flamingos Beat Japan 2-1 to Win Nigeria’s First U-17 Women’s World Cup
- Gov. Oborevwori Hails Victorious Flamingos, Celebrates Opara On Historic World Cup Triumph
- NSC Chief Dikko Lauds Flamingos’ Historic U-17 World Cup Triumph
Tinubu Congratulates Flamingos
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Flamingos on their historic achievement, describing the victory as a significant milestone for Nigerian and African women’s football.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the President said he received the news after returning from campaign engagements in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.
He praised the players for their courage, determination and teamwork, noting that they had fulfilled their promise to bring the trophy home following their semi-final victory.
Tinubu also singled out Bashiru and Umejiaku for their decisive contributions, while commending the entire squad and coaching crew for their efforts throughout the competition.
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