U-17 Women’s World Cup Final: Flamingos Chase History
Nigeria’s Flamingos are playing Japan in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco, with a chance to become the first African team to win the title. The match, which kicked off at 7:30pm Nigerian time on Saturday, November 7, 2026, was under way at the time of writing, and the final result had not been confirmed.
Where the Match Stands
Premium Times’ live blog showed Nigeria leading Japan 2-0 at the 70th minute. Daily Sports reported that Awawu Bashiru gave the Flamingos a 1-0 half-time lead with a 39th-minute strike. Joydey9ja.com will update this report once the full-time result is confirmed.
Road to the Final
Nigeria lost their opening match 2-1 to Poland, then won five games in a row, according to ESPN. The run included a 3-1 win over defending champions DPR Korea in the final group game and a 1-0 quarter-final victory over Venezuela, according to Panafrica Football and VerseNews.
In the semi-final on Wednesday, November 4, the Flamingos beat Brazil 3-1. Guardian Nigeria reported that Queen Joseph opened the scoring and Awawu Bashiru added two more, and Voice of Nigeria reported that Nigeria had 30 shots.
Japan beat Ghana 1-0 in the quarter-finals, according to Rio Times, then edged DPR Korea on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The Guardian Nigeria noted it is their fourth final, and they won the title in 2014.
What Is at Stake
A win would make Nigeria the first African team to win the tournament, according to Premium Times. It would also make Nigeria the first African country to hold both the men’s and women’s U-17 World Cup titles, according to Voice of Nigeria.
Panafrica Football added that Nigeria would be the first team in the tournament’s history to lose its opening match and still win the trophy. Nigeria’s previous best finish was third place in 2022, according to ESPN.
This is the first meeting between the two sides at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, and the first time they have met in a World Cup final at any level, according to Pulse. They have met at U-20 level, and Legit.ng, citing Afrik-Foot, said Nigeria’s record in those games is a worry for supporters.
Japan have scored 150 goals at the tournament since 2008, the most of any team, according to Voice of Nigeria, while Nigeria have scored 115, according to Guardian Nigeria.
Reaction and Next Steps
NFF Acting General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme said, “This is surely the year of the Flamingos,” according to Voice of Nigeria. A Federal Government delegation led by National Sports Commission chairman Shehu Dikko was due to attend the final.
Captain Harmony Chidi said the team was ready to deliver a maiden title, and CAF sent a message of support, according to Legit.ng. Voice of Nigeria reported that President Bola Tinubu backed the team ahead of the final.
Fans in Abuja told Leadership they expected a tough match but backed Nigeria to win. The final was set to be shown live in Nigeria on M4STV, according to ThisDay.
About the Author
