By Obaloluwa Joshua, LAGOS
Nigeria’s Falconets have opened their training camp in Abuja as preparations intensify for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
Head coach Moses Aduku has invited 28 players for the camping exercise, with 16 already in camp ahead of the tournament.
The coaching crew wasted no time in getting preparations underway, putting the players through intensive training sessions as they begin to shape the squad for the global competition.
The Falconets booked their place at the World Cup after an impressive qualifying campaign. They thrashed Rwanda 5-0 on aggregate in the second round, edged Senegal 3-2 on aggregate in the penultimate round, and sealed qualification with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Malawi in the final round.
The qualification extended Nigeria’s remarkable record as the only African nation to feature at every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup since the tournament was launched in 2002.
Nigeria is also one of the competition’s most successful teams, having finished as runners-up in Germany 2010 and Canada 2014, while reaching the semi-finals in Japan 2012.
At the 2024 tournament in Colombia, the Falconets opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Korea Republic before advancing to the Round of 16, where they were eliminated by Japan.
For the 2026 edition, the Falconets have been drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and Paraguay.
The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will take place in Poland from September 5 to 27, 2026.
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