Nigeria Beat Japan 2-1 to Win First FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Title
Nigeria’s Flamingos Make History, Beat Japan to Win First FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Title
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have made history by winning their first-ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup title after defeating Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final, becoming the first African nation to lift the trophy.
Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku secured the historic victory for Nigeria, who overcame a determined Japanese side to complete an impressive campaign and claim the world title.
Bashiru broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, converting an assist from Mary Dunstan to give Nigeria a 1-0 advantage heading into the half-time break.
The Nigerian midfielder sent a dropping effort towards goal, which Japan goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki failed to control as the ball slipped through her gloves and into the net.
The Flamingos extended their lead just two minutes after the restart, with Umejiaku finding the back of the net in the 47th minute following an excellent assist from Esther Stephen.
Stephen delivered a long, precise pass into the attacking area, which Umejiaku chased down and controlled with her left foot before calmly lifting the ball over the advancing Japanese goalkeeper.
Japan, however, refused to surrender and pulled one goal back in the 80th minute through Fuki Ito, who finished off an assist from Anri Ito to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
The goal set up a tense closing period, with Japan pushing aggressively for an equaliser while Nigeria worked to preserve their advantage.
Kanyinsola Yusuf received a yellow card in the 83rd minute as the Flamingos continued to create opportunities through Umejiaku and Yusuf. Japan also threatened late in the encounter, with Mashiro Yamaji attempting to find an equaliser.
Umejiaku was subsequently flagged offside in the 94th minute before the referee brought the contest to an end after five minutes of additional time, confirming Nigeria’s historic triumph.
Remarkable Comeback After Opening Defeat
The victory over Japan capped a remarkable turnaround for the Flamingos, who recovered from a 2-1 defeat to Poland in their opening fixture to record five consecutive victories and secure the championship.
PulseNets reports that Nigeria responded to their opening setback with a 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico before producing one of the tournament’s biggest upsets by defeating defending champions North Korea 3-1.
The victory also ended North Korea’s 18-match unbeaten run in regulation time at the competition.
The Nigerian side maintained their momentum in the Round of 16, overcoming Mexico 2-1, with Umejiaku and Mary Dunstan getting on the scoresheet to book a place in the quarter-finals.
In the quarter-final encounter against Venezuela, Azeezat Oduntan converted a decisive penalty in the 89th minute to secure a narrow 1-0 victory and send Nigeria into the semi-finals.
The Flamingos subsequently booked their first-ever appearance in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final with an impressive 3-1 victory over Brazil.
Queen Joseph opened the scoring in the 56th minute before Bashiru took charge with two goals in the 71st and 80th minutes to put Nigeria firmly in control.
Brazil managed to score a late consolation, but it was insufficient to prevent the Nigerian team from securing a place in the final.
Coach Credits Mental Strength for Historic Achievement
The team’s recovery from their opening defeat was also highlighted by head coach Akeem Busari, who identified psychological guidance and renewed confidence as important factors behind the players’ improved performances.
Captain Harmony Chidi, meanwhile, described the possibility of winning the trophy as a special moment that would remain unforgettable.
Nigeria’s triumph represents another significant achievement for the country at the youth football level and further strengthens the Flamingos’ reputation as one of Africa’s leading teams in women’s age-grade football.
Before travelling to Morocco for the competition, the Nigerian side had already demonstrated their strength by winning the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire.
The Flamingos completed that competition with an outstanding record of five victories from five matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just once.
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Their latest achievement takes that impressive form to the global stage, as Nigeria become world champions for the first time in the history of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The historic victory also marks a major milestone for Nigerian women’s football and African football as a whole, with the Flamingos breaking new ground as the first African team to win the competition.
