By Theresa Moses
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has congratulated Nigeria’s Flamingos following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, describing their victory over Japan as “well deserved”.
The Nigerian side secured the title with a 2-1 victory over Japan in Saturday’s final at the Mohammed VI Football Academy complex in Rabat, becoming the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The achievement also marked a historic breakthrough for African women’s football, as Nigeria became the first African women’s national team to win a FIFA World Cup title at any level.
Infantino congratulated the players shortly after the trophy presentation, acknowledging the significance of their achievement for Nigeria and the continent.
“Congratulations to Nigeria, world champion U-17 Women’s World Cup of FIFA here in Rabat. First African team to ever win a (FIFA) Women’s U-17 World Cup — so many congratulations to Nigeria. Well deserved in the final,” the FIFA president said.
The victory capped an impressive campaign by the Flamingos, who recovered from an opening-match defeat to Poland to record six consecutive wins and claim their first title in the competition.
Nigeria made an attacking start to the final, creating opportunities against a Japanese side that had demonstrated defensive resilience throughout the tournament.
After several attempts to break the deadlock, the Flamingos took the lead in the 39th minute through Awawu Bashiru. Her effort gave Nigeria a deserved advantage going into the interval and placed the team within reach of an unprecedented achievement.
The second half began with Nigeria extending their lead almost immediately.
In the 47th minute, Oluebube Umejiaku capitalised on a forward pass from Esther Stephen, controlled the ball and lifted a composed finish over Japan goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki to make it 2-0.
The goal was Umejiaku’s fourth of the tournament and proved decisive in the contest.
Japan, however, refused to surrender. The Asian side increased the pressure as the match progressed and eventually reduced the deficit in the 80th minute through Fuki Ito, who converted after Anri Ito headed a corner back across the Nigerian goal.
The late goal created a tense closing period, but the Flamingos maintained their defensive organisation and resisted Japan’s attempts to force an equaliser.
When the final whistle sounded, Nigeria had secured a 2-1 victory and a place in football history.
Umejiaku’s contribution to Nigeria’s title-winning campaign was recognised with the Golden Ball award, presented to the tournament’s outstanding player.
Her four goals, attacking threat and decisive performance in the final underlined her importance to the team’s success.
She was also named Player of the Match in the final, further highlighting her influence in the historic encounter.
Her performance reflected the collective quality of a Nigerian squad that combined attacking ambition with resilience, particularly after the disappointment of losing their opening fixture.
The Flamingos’ journey to the trophy was marked by a remarkable response to adversity.
Nigeria began the tournament with a 2-1 defeat to Poland, but the result did not derail the team’s campaign. They recovered with victories over Puerto Rico and defending champions Korea DPR in the group stage to secure progress to the knockout rounds.
The Nigerian youngsters maintained their momentum with victories over Mexico and Venezuela before defeating Brazil 3-1 in the semi-final to reach their first-ever final in the competition.
Their victory over Japan completed a run of six consecutive wins after the opening defeat and delivered Nigeria’s maiden U-17 Women’s World Cup title.
Nigeria had previously finished third at the 2022 edition in India, which had remained the Flamingos’ best performance in the tournament until their triumph in Morocco.
Beyond celebrating Nigeria’s achievement, Infantino also acknowledged the performances of the other medal-winning teams and the tournament hosts.
He congratulated Japan for finishing as runners-up and DPR Korea, which claimed the bronze medal after defeating Brazil 6-0 in the third-place match.
Infantino also praised Morocco for its organisation and hospitality, commending the facilities in Rabat and the country’s role in hosting the tournament.
The final between Nigeria and Japan was also significant because it marked the first time an African national team had faced an Asian national team in a FIFA tournament final.
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