Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, have won the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. They beat Japan 2-1 in the final on Saturday. The match was played at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco. It is Nigeria’s first title at this level. It is also the first time an African team has won the competition.
The Flamingos had never reached the final before. They reached the quarter-finals in 2022 and exited earlier in 2024. African teams had come close but never won. Nigeria’s women’s football pedigree is strong at senior level: the Super Falcons have won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations a record 11 times. The youth title fills a gap in that record.
Nigeria’s campaign began badly. They lost 2-1 to Poland in the group stage. They then beat Puerto Rico and defending champions North Korea. In the knockout rounds, they defeated Mexico 2-1, Venezuela 1-0 and Brazil 3-1. Awawu Bashiru scored twice in the semi-final. Queen Joseph and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi were also central to the run.
The final was tense. Nigeria took the lead and held it. Japan pulled one back to set up a nervous finish. The Flamingos held on. The final whistle confirmed the historic win. It followed the team’s semi-final victory over Brazil, which had already made them the first African side to reach the final.
The achievement will raise the profile of women’s youth football in Nigeria. It also puts pressure on the Nigeria Football Federation. The NFF is under FIFA normalisation after the resignations of its president and executive committee. The team’s success came despite the administrative chaos. The players and coaches delivered on the pitch. The federation must now build on it rather than squander it.
Winners: The Flamingos, who made history. Coach Akeem Busari and his staff. Nigerian women’s football, which gained a world title. Africa, which gained a first champion. The players, who gained global exposure. Losers: Japan, who lost the final. Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico, who were beaten en route. The NFF, which cannot claim credit for the preparation. Critics who doubted the team after the opening defeat.
Bottom Line: Nigeria are world champions at U-17 level. The Flamingos beat Japan, Brazil and North Korea on the way. The trophy is deserved. The next task is to keep the players and fix the federation that almost overshadowed them.