Nigeria U-17 women qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Nigeria's Under-17 women's national team, the Flamingos, has qualified for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup after securing an aggregate victory over Benin in the final round of African qualifiers. The team confirmed its place with a 5-3 win in the second leg on Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Lomé, Togo, following a 3-2 victory in the first leg in Ikenne, Nigeria, the previous weekend. The 8-5 aggregate triumph earned Nigeria one of Africa's spots for the tournament, which will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 7.

The decisive match at the Stade de Kégué was a high-scoring affair. Nigeria opened the scoring in the sixth minute through Mary Dustan, but Benin equalized just three minutes later. The Flamingos regained control with goals from Esther Stephen in the 15th minute and Queen Joseph in the 20th. Benin mounted a spirited comeback with two more goals, but Joseph scored her second of the match in the 76th minute to seal the 5-3 victory and confirm Nigeria's qualification. Head coach Akeem Busari praised his team's determination and attacking spirit following the win.

The qualification extends Nigeria's consistent record at the U-17 Women's World Cup. The team's...