Flamingos are world champions: Nigeria beat Japan 2-1 to win the U-17 Women's World Cup
Nigeria are the first African country to win the tournament, and the first team in its history to lose their opening match and still lift the trophy.
Lire cet article en français →
Rabat — Nigeria's Flamingos are world champions. They beat Japan 2-1 in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, on Saturday night, becoming the first African nation to win the tournament since it began in 2008.
How the final was won
Awawu Bashiru put Nigeria ahead in the 39th minute when Japan goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki failed to hold her long-range shot. Oluebube Umejiaku doubled the lead two minutes after half-time. Fuki Ito pulled one back for Japan in the 80th minute, but the Flamingos held on through four minutes of added time. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe watched from the stands.
Japan, champions in 2014, were playing in their fourth final and had conceded only twice on the way.
From defeat to the title
The Flamingos lost their opening match 2-1 to Poland, then won six in a row: against Puerto Rico, defending champions Korea DPR, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and Japan. No team in the competition's history had lost its first game and gone on to win the trophy.
Umejiaku, who began the tournament on the bench, won the Golden Ball. "When we lost the first game against Poland, everybody said we needed to wake up," she said. Bashiru, who had played only 77 minutes before the semi-final, scored twice against Brazil and again in the final. "We are history-makers," she said. "We made Nigeria, and the millions of people there, proud."
"I play on character"
Coach Akeem Busari said places in his team were earned. "No matter how good you are, I'm a coach that plays on character," he said. "It's all about mindset, attitude and merit; if they're there, you get your playing time."
Rewards
The National Sports Commission hosted the team in Rabat after the final. Its sponsor Saleh Ahmadu gave the players $50,000, and the Commission said President Bola Tinubu had directed that outstanding bonuses and allowances for players and officials be paid.
Nigeria's previous best was third place in 2022. The country is now the only African nation to have won both the men's and the women's U-17 World Cups: the Golden Eaglets have won the men's title five times.
Sources: Premium Times, Premium Times, Premium Times, November 2026.
