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| The girls celebrate with their coach |
Nigeria’s Flamingos have been crowned world champions for the first time after beating Japan 2-1 in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco.
The victory also makes Nigeria the first African nation to win the competition.
Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku secured a historic triumph, while Fuki Ito’s late strike for Japan was not enough to prevent the Flamingos from lifting the trophy.
How the Final Unfolded
After a tense opening half, Bashiru broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, giving Nigeria a deserved lead and sending the Nigerian supporters into celebration.
The Flamingos returned after the break with renewed purpose, and Umejiaku doubled the advantage in the 47th minute with a composed finish over the advancing Japanese goalkeeper.
Japan responded strongly in the closing stages. Ito reduced the deficit in the 80th minute after capitalising on a rebound, but Nigeria’s defence held firm through a tense finale to preserve the 2-1 result.
A Night of National Pride
Captain Harmony Chidi had said before the match that winning the title would make her country, teammates, coaches and supporters proud, and the Flamingos delivered on that promise.
The triumph sparked celebrations across Nigeria and among the diaspora, as the team transformed a long-awaited opportunity into a landmark achievement for Nigerian women’s football.
The Road to Gold
Nigeria reached the final after defeating highly rated Brazil 3-1 in the semi-final, while Japan advanced by beating North Korea on penalties.
In the final, the Flamingos combined attacking sharpness with defensive resilience to overcome Japan, a traditional powerhouse at youth level, and claim Nigeria’s first U-17 Women’s World Cup crown.
Champions of the World
From Lagos to Maiduguri, Enugu to Sokoto, and beyond Nigeria’s borders, the victory united supporters in celebration of a team that refused to be denied.
The Flamingos are no longer merely contenders, they are world champions, and their name is now written into the history of not just African football but the World Cup!
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