Flamingos Return To Abuja With Historic World Cup Trophy

Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, arrived in Abuja on Monday morning with the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy, bringing home a landmark achievement for the country and African football.

The young players landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport following their historic 2-1 victory over Japan in Saturday’s final in Rabat, Morocco.

The triumph gave Nigeria its first-ever title in the competition and made the country the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku scored the goals that secured Nigeria’s victory, while Japan managed a late response through Fuki Ito. The Flamingos, however, held on to their advantage until the final whistle.

Their arrival marked the end of a remarkable campaign in which the team overcame early difficulties to reach the top of the global competition.

Nigeria had opened its campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Poland, raising concerns about its chances of progressing from the group stage. The players responded with improved performances, defeating Puerto Rico and the defending champions, North Korea, before advancing to the knockout rounds.

The team subsequently defeated Mexico and Venezuela to reach the semi-finals, where it produced an impressive 3-1 victory over Brazil to book its first-ever appearance in the final.

Against Japan, Bashiru gave Nigeria the lead in the 39th minute before Umejiaku doubled the advantage shortly after the restart, scoring in the 47th minute.

Japan reduced the deficit in the 80th minute, but the Nigerian side maintained its composure and defensive discipline to protect the lead and secure the trophy.

The victory also earned Nigeria a place in the history of African football, as no team from the continent had previously won the women’s Under-17 World Cup.

Head coach Hakeem Busari praised the players for their determination, discipline and ability to respond to difficult moments throughout the tournament.

He said the performance of African teams at the competition reflected growing quality and competitiveness, insisting that the Flamingos’ success was the product of development and hard work rather than chance.

Busari also explained that his technical crew had studied Japan’s playing style before the final and adjusted the team’s approach to limit the opponents’ ability to win second balls and exploit spaces behind the Nigerian defence.

The team’s success was further reflected in the individual awards, with Umejiaku winning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player after an impressive campaign that included four goals.

The Flamingos had also demonstrated their quality before the World Cup by winning the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, recording five victories in five matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just once.

President Bola Tinubu had congratulated the team after the final, describing the victory as a major achievement for Nigeria and a significant moment for African women’s football.

He praised the players, coaching crew, Nigeria Football Federation and National Sports Commission for their contributions, while expressing hope that the achievement would encourage more young Nigerian girls to pursue careers in sports.

Nigeria’s latest triumph adds to its record in FIFA youth football. The country has previously won the men’s U-17 World Cup five times, in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.

The women’s team’s success now gives Nigeria titles in both editions of the age-grade competition and places the country among the few nations to have achieved that distinction.

With the champions now back in Abuja, attention is expected to turn to official celebrations and recognition of the players whose performances have delivered Nigeria its maiden title in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.