Nigeria’s Flamingos have made history after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The victory at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat handed Nigeria their first-ever U-17 Women’s World Cup title and made the Flamingos the first African team to win the competition.
Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku secured the historic victory for head coach Akeem Busari’s team, while Fuki Ito scored Japan’s only goal of the match.
The Flamingos went into the final with confidence after beating Brazil 3-1 in the semi-finals. Japan, meanwhile, reached the final after defeating DPR Korea on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Both teams started carefully, but the Flamingos looked more dangerous going forward in the opening stages. They tried to use the right side of their attack to create problems for their opponent, while Oluwakemi Adegbuyi had an early attempt that failed to produce a goal.
Nigeria continued to push for the opener and came close through Oluebube Umejiaku, who missed a good opportunity. Queen Joseph also followed up with an effort that went wide of the target.
The Nigerian girls won their first corner in the 29th minute, but Japan managed to clear the danger. As the first half progressed, the Flamingos created more chances and came close to scoring when one of their attempts struck the crossbar.
Their pressure finally paid off in the 38th minute when Awawu Bashiru found the back of the net with a long-range effort. Japan goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki failed to hold the ball, allowing it to slip through her hands and into the net.
It was Bashiru’s third goal of the tournament after her impressive brace against Brazil in the semi-finals. The Japanese girls tried to respond before the break, but their opponent maintained their advantage.
The first half ended with the Flamingos leading 1-0. Nigeria made a perfect start to the second half by scoring their second goal just two minutes after the restart.
Oluebube Umejiaku produced a fine finish, lifting the ball over the advancing Japanese goalkeeper to give the Flamingos a 2-0 lead.
The goal gave Nigeria greater confidence as they moved closer to winning their first world title. Japan responded by making three substitutions in an attempt to change the game and get back into the contest.
The Japanese side increased the pressure and began searching for openings in Nigeria’s defence. However, the Flamingos remained organised and continued to protect their advantage.
The Nigerian team also made a change, with Oluwakemi Adegbuyi making way for Tosin Rafiu. Japan eventually found a way back into the match when Fuki Ito scored to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
The goal gave Japan fresh hope, but Nigeria refused to lose their focus. The closing stages brought more pressure as the Japanese team pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Yusuf received a yellow card as the Flamingos tried to protect their narrow lead. The Japanese girls continued to attack, but Nigeria’s defence stood firm when a dangerous goal-bound effort was blocked by a defender.
The Flamingos also came close to extending their advantage when another attempt struck the crossbar. The referee added four minutes, giving the Japanese one final opportunity to rescue the match.
However, Nigeria held on until the final whistle to secure a memorable 2-1 victory against Japan after 90 minutes of action played between both teams.
The result confirmed the Flamingos as the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup champions, completing one of the greatest achievements in Nigerian youth football.
Nigeria’s victory over Japan marks a major moment for African women’s football. It has been a tough one with the Flamingos finally breaking the jinx which have stood for years.
The Flamingos became the first African nation to reach the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and have now gone one step further by winning the trophy.
Their journey was also remarkable because they started the tournament with a 2-1 defeat to Poland before recovering to win their next matches.
Victories over Puerto Rico, defending champions DPR Korea, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil helped Nigeria secure their place in the final.
The win over Japan completes an incredible campaign and gives Nigeria their first title in the history of the competition.
