AFCON 2025
Nigeria’s Falconets have arrived in Poland ahead of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, wrapping up a delayed journey that saw their original travel plans disrupted by a visa hold-up. Unfortunately, captain of the team, Joy Igbokwe, and two other players, Sandra John and Faridat Abdulwahab were unable to travel with the team due to unresolved visa issues.
The team, led by head coach Moses Aduku, had been due to leave Abuja on August 20 but only secured the necessary visas days later, cutting into the time available for acclimatisation in Europe. The squad has settled at Hotel Trzebnica in Trzebnica, where they will remain until September 3 before switching to the official FIFA team hotel to complete preparations for the tournament opener.
Benfica striker Janet Akekoromowei flew in separately from her club base in Portugal to link up with the rest of the squad, a timely boost for Aduku’s side after her club had initially attempted to block her release for international duty. She joins a 21-player squad captained by Nasarawa Amazons midfielder Joy Igbokwe.
Nigeria booked their ticket to Poland by overcoming Rwanda, Senegal and Malawi in the African qualifying series, defeating Rwanda 5-0 on aggregate, edging past Senegal 3-1 and squeezing past Malawi 3-2. That campaign was followed by an extended training camp in Abuja, where the technical crew focused on fitness, tactical organisation and mental preparation before the squad’s eventual departure for Europe.
The Falconets have been drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and New Caledonia, and will open their campaign against Spain on September 7 before facing China PR three days later. Nigeria round off the group stage against New Caledonia on September 13, with the tournament running from September 5 to 27 across four host cities.
Nigeria remain the only African nation to have featured at every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup since its inception in 2002, and this year’s tournament marks their 12th appearance, a distinction shared only with Brazil and the United States. The Falconets have twice finished as runners-up, in 2010 and 2014, and reached the semi-finals in 2012, but a maiden title has continued to elude them.
At the last edition in Colombia, Nigeria opened with a 1-0 win over Korea Republic before bowing out to Japan in the round of 16, a result Aduku’s squad will be looking to improve on in Poland. With preparation time already reduced by the visa delay, the coaching crew face pressure to fast-track the team’s tactical readiness before the group stage begins.
