Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will face Japan in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Saturday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 pm Nigerian time and represents a historic opportunity for the African side to claim their first title in the competition.
This encounter marks the first time an African country has reached the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. It is also the first meeting between Nigeria and Japan at this level, as well as their first appearance against each other in a global final. A victory would make Nigeria the first African nation to win the tournament.
Path to the Final
Nigeria’s journey to the final began with a 2-1 defeat to Poland, followed by a narrow victory over Puerto Rico. The Flamingos subsequently stunned defending champions DPR Korea 3-1 and recorded victories over Mexico and Venezuela to advance. In the semi-finals, Nigeria defeated Brazil, with Queen Joseph playing a key role in securing the win.
Japan, meanwhile, booked their place in the final with an impressive campaign in Morocco. The Asian side won all their group-stage matches without conceding a goal before overcoming Kenya in the round of 16 and Ghana in the quarter-finals. They advanced to the final after defeating DPR Korea in a penalty shootout following a drawn semi-final. Saturday’s match will be Japan’s fourth appearance in the final; they won their only previous title in 2014.
Where to Watch and Key Players
Football fans can watch the final live and free on FIFA+, with streaming also available through DAZN. Among the players to watch is Japan’s Mei Hanashiro, who has scored four goals and provided one assist in the tournament. Nigeria will rely heavily on Queen Joseph, whose attacking contributions have been crucial to the Flamingos’ progress, particularly in their semi-final victory over Brazil.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
